Who I Am
by OveractiveImagination39
Summary: Ulquiorra must learn to live as a human in the world of the living, but can a hollow ever truely become human again? And will the Soul Society allow such a thing to go unpunished?
1. Chapter 1

**_Cover art "Who I Am" by KziraLee_  
**

This is my first attempt in the bleach universe. Please let me know if I get something horribly wrong. The story is completely AU and will involve my favorite crack ship yet - Ulquihime.

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Prologue**

He was dying. Of this he was sure. Even as his legs and arm began to grow back his powers of regeneration could not restore the missing organs blown away from his lower torso. It was over. He had been defeated by this human hollow. He almost wished that the Quincy hadn't interfered. A swift death would have been preferable to this. He could feel his body wasting away. Soon it would be over, and he would become nothing more than ash scattered by the wind.

Turning to the woman he asked her if she was afraid of him. Her eyes said more than her simple words could convey. No, she did not fear him. It seemed as if she felt something even worse; pity. It was in that moment, his body more ash than flesh and bone, that he began to understand. He reached out his hand to her, but as she moved to grasp his, his vision clouded. Her touch was lost as his body disintegrated and he faded from existence.

* * *

Orihime stood in stunned silence. Her hand extended. The hand she had reached for was gone. All that remained was swirling ash, and then nothing. He was gone. This Espada, her keeper while in Hueco Mundo had disappeared before her eyes.

Her body felt numb. Her emotions dulled by the horrific battle she had just witnessed. Kurosaki-kun; she had relied on him to save her, and her dependence on him made him into something more terrifying than even Ulquiorra. It was her fault. All that had happened in Hueco Mundo had been because of her. She was strong. She had trained hard while in the Soul Society. Still she had relied on Kurosaki to save her. It was her pleading that had awakened the horrible monster that he had become, her fault that he had turned into a merciless beast, her fault that he had turned on Ishida, impaling her friend with his zanpakuto.

"Inoue!" Kurosaki yelled from somewhere behind her. "Inoue, Ishida needs you. Please, I think he's dying."

She turned to look at her friends. Kurosaki knelt beside Uryu, his eyes wide and pleading. She noticed his hands pressing on Ishida's stomach. Blood soaked the Quincy's clothing. Ishida was barely conscious, his breathing shallow.

"Ishida-kun", she cried as she ran to where he lay. She reached out to her friend, "Sōten Kisshun, I reject."

The healing shield encompassed his body. She concentrated as Ishida's injuries began to heal. His breathing became more relaxed, and his eyes began to open.

"Inoue", he rasped.

"I'm right here Ishida-kun. Just lie still." She replied. Her voice was scratchy from the tears that she couldn't seem to stop from falling.

She noticed his hand that had been cut clean off by Ulquiorra had begun to grow back. Uryu began to flex the fingers on his hand. A slight smile graced his lips. With wonder in his voice he said softly, "Is there anything that you can't do Inoue?"

His simple question gave her pause. What were the limits of her powers? Aizen had said that her abilities challenged that of the gods. She had restored Grimmjow's arm, even after it had been turned to ash, and now she was restoring Ishida's hand as well. She rejected reality, and created it anew.

Under her care Ishida's wounds healed. She released him from the healing barrier and rose to her feet. She looked to Kurosaki. He stood panting. His body was covered in blood and dirt, but she knew that he was going to be okay. His body had regenerated on its own. His wounds had healed, and even though Ulquiorra had planned to lop off his arm, the Espada had not had the strength do it.

She turned to the space where the Cuatro Espada had stood moments before. I can reject reality, she thought. I can create it anew under my terms. If that was true then wouldn't it be possible to bring him back from nothing?

She walked slowly over to where she had reached out for him. Staring into the nothingness she said softly, "This is all my fault. I should have stood tall. I should have been stronger."

"Inoue, are you alright." Kurosaki had come up behind her. His voice a whisper in her ear.

"I have brought this about. This is because of my weakness." She voiced her fears aloud.

"No, Inoue, this is not your fault. This is because of Aizen and the monsters that he created."

"What about you Kurosaki-kun? Who created you? It was my pleading that turned you into… into that…" She couldn't finish. It was too much to think of her beloved Ichigo becoming that horrifying beast.

"It is my responsibly to contain my inner hollow." He replied sternly.

"But I pleaded with you to help me. You would never have changed if it wasn't for me."

"No Inoue! I promised to protect you, and I let my inner hollow surface in order to do that. I lost complete control. I am sorry that you had to witness that, but it is a part of who I am."

"No!" she covered her ears at his statement. "You are not like them. You are human."

Removing her hands from her ears he turned her face him. "Inoue, humans are flawed creatures. We are capable of great good, but also great evil. It is that struggle that defines us. In our hearts we must choose to do good, and we must reject evil, or it will overwhelm us."

"Like it almost did to you." She cried.

Silently he bowed his head. She regretted her words instantly. She reached out to touch his face timidly, but pulled her hand back at the last second. "I am sorry, Kurosaki-kun."

"But you're right. I almost lost myself. I couldn't even distinguish my friends from my enemies. I tried to kill Uryu."

"To protect me." She whispered.

"I promised to keep you safe."

"At the cost of your humanity!" she yelled. Then stepping back she stared again into the space where Ulquiorra had vanished. "You almost lost your soul. You were no different than any other hollow. You had become just like him."

"He and I are nothing alike." Ichigo spat out.

"The only thing that separated you in the end was your humanity." She said in a hushed voice. Even softer she continued, "Maybe it would have been different… in the end I think he was beginning to understand…"

"Inoue?" Ichigo asked.

Ignoring him she reached out again to the space where Ulquiorra had last stood. She had brought Ichigo back from the brink of madness; maybe she could give the Espada the same chance.

* * *

Nothingness. It was utterly complete. He no longer existed. He was gone, and then in an instant he felt life. It was hard to put into words. The sheer terror of it all overwhelmed him. For the first time in many years he felt fear. As his body began to reform he understood that for a time he had been gone; his body nothing more than ash scattered amongst the sand of Hueco Mundo.

As a human he had believed in an afterlife, but as a hollow he had realized that that no longer existed for him. This was his afterlife. He would continue to consume souls in order to live. If not, then he would die, and that death brought about the possibility of nonexistence. And for a time that nonexistence had become a reality. Now, though he felt life again, but this was different. He couldn't explain it, but somehow this was not the life he remembered.

Around him he could hear voices. Kurosaki was yelling about something. What was it? He couldn't quite make it out. And then his ears formed completely and the noise became words.

"Inoue, what are you doing? Have you lost it completely?"

No reply met the Shinigami's questions. Still the teen rattled on. Ulquiorra could not completely understand what was happening, but he had an idea of what might be going own. The woman was trying to bring him back to life. She was a fool. Her humanity once again proved her weakness. Did she not realize that as soon as he was able he would destroy her friend once and for all?

He inhaled deeply as his lungs formed completely. He was alive again. Slowly he opened his eyes and it was then that he began to realize why he had felt so odd earlier. His vision was not quite the same, nor was his body. Reaching for his chest he touched the space where his hollow hole should have been, but his hand only met flesh.

No! She couldn't have done such a thing. Had Aizen been correct in his assessment of her? Were her powers equal to a god? He turned and looked at her.

Anger laced his words as he asked, "Woman what have you done?"


	2. Chapter 2

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

**

Chapter 2 - The Awakening

Pain engulfed him. He reached out, hands trembling with the effort, to grab at something protruding from his chest, but as his fingers made contact with it, it disappeared. Instead he met with something warm and sticky. Was it blood? He pressed his hands into the liquid pouring from his chest, but no amount of pressure seemed to stem its flow.

He looked up at the girl standing in front of him. Surprise was etched into her features. Tears streamed down her face. Were those tears for him? Was she crying over him? For some reason this thought brought him a strange sense of pleasure. It had been a long time since anyone had cried over him.

"Ulquiorra!" she called out. Her voice was heavy with emotion. She was afraid for him. He could sense that.

He wanted to smile and tell her that it was ok, but the muscles in his face wouldn't obey his commands, his mouth refused to move.

Weakness overcame him and he fell to his knees. His eyes though never left hers.

"Ulquiorra, no… please…" she pleaded.

A strange sense of disconnection began to creep into his being. He could feel his body losing its battle to stay alive. He closed his eyes to rest and could feel his body begin to tumble forward.

She reached out to grab onto him and pull him close. Her tears fell upon his face as she continued to plead with him, but he couldn't make out the words any longer.

Numbness permeated his body. The world around him faded away. He found it ironic that she had worked so hard to restore him after his battle with Kurosaki, only to have him die now hours later. Maybe it was fate. After all he was a dead man; had been for longer than he could remember. Maybe the gods just simply would not allow her to use her powers in such a way.

Still he couldn't help but feel sadness as the life within him began to leave his body. For a moment he had begun to believe that he could start again; that he could understand her and the love she felt for her friends. But in the end he wouldn't get that second chance. Fate was a cruel master. He had lost his heart a long time ago. He had become a monster by his own hand. He did not deserve to be cried over now.

Letting go, he felt an odd sense of calm settle into his soul. This time he would have no regrets. This time he would let it go and move on.

* * *

Voices flooded the darkness.

"I've got her. Get the boy."

"He's dead."

"Not yet. We have to try to save him."

"He'll never survive the journey back."

"We can't leave him here. He is human after all."

A sigh, and then hands, delicate yet strong, grabbing him; lifting him. He heard a soft groan as his body made contact with his rescuer's back.

"So there is some life left in you." A voice, gentle and feminine spoke to him. She shifted his body and suddenly they were moving.

No one spoke as they made their way through the darkness. He struggled to hold on to consciousness, but eventually he lost the battle.

* * *

In this lingering state between life and death memories from a life long forgotten began to play out before him.

_He walked with a purposeful stride to the southern most fields on their farm. He carried with him the meager meal that his mother made for him to share with his father. The sun beat down from overhead, and he could feel the sweat begin to form on his brow. Soon he knew his clothes would be soaked as the temperature rose. Maybe if he was lucky he would have a chance later to swim in the river on the other side of their land. The thought of the cool water washing away the misery of the day's heat brought a small smile to his lips._

_He found his father leaning against the plow that was attached to their ox. The animal stood silently, as if waiting further instructions from his master. His father was panting. Sweat streamed down his face and he could not help but notice how pale the man looked. Concern for his father replaced his earlier thoughts of a late afternoon swim. Picking up speed he rushed to his father's side._

_"Father, what is wrong? You look unwell."_

_His father looked up and smiled weakly at him. "It's nothing to worry about Daisuke. I just over did it a little bit. The ground here is not the most hospitable of land, but we need to use all that we have. I guess I just pushed too much. I'll be fine after I've rested for a moment."_

_For some reason he did not fully believe his father. He had noticed the man's need for rest more and more frequently; especially when he thought that his son or wife wasn't watching. The pain and fatigue that was becoming more common worried him greatly. Yet he remained silent. In his young heart he was afraid that somehow by voicing his greatest fears aloud, they would become a reality. As long as he kept his concerns to himself his father would be fine._

_Holding the food up for his father to see he said, "Mother has prepared a meal for us to share. Maybe we could rest and eat it together."_

_His father smiled and nodded in return. "Let's go sit over there in the shade of the great oak,"_

_He did not want to push his father to walk the distance, but the desire to escape the noonday sun was too powerful._

_They began to cover the distance in silence. He could hear his father panting from the effort. He knew that he was trying not to alert his son to the pain that the movement caused him. Glancing over at him he noticed that his father was shuffling his feet, as if they had become too heavy to lift. His earlier fears threatened to escape his firm hold over them in his heart, and fly from his mouth giving them life and validity._

_Clenching his jaw tightly he closed the gap between them and drew up close to his father. Reaching out he placed his free arm firmly around the man and gave him a squeeze. His father looked down and smiled at him. Reaching out he placed his hand gently on his son's opposite shoulder. _

_"What a kind and loving son you are." He whispered; his voice rough with emotion._

_He was unsure of how to respond, so he remained silent. They continued to walk on towards their destination. With each step he could feel his father's grip become tighter on his shoulder. He didn't mind though. The discomfort was tolerable compared to the pain that his unspoken fears created in his heart._

_When they were finally under the shade of the oak, his father gently eased himself to the ground. He resisted the urge to massage his sore shoulder once his father had let go. Instead he sat down beside him and quietly began to unpack their meal. _

_"It looks delicious." His father said. "Your mother can do wonders with such little."_

_His father then began to eat the food before him. He stared at the meal for a moment. In truth he no longer had an appetite. Worry about his father overshadowed his hunger. Still he knew that in their circumstance it was foolish to pass up a meal. They never knew when they would have to go without. Slowly and without much enthusiasm he ate his meal._

_When they finished his father leaned back against the trunk of the tree and sighed. "It is such a beautiful day."_

_"The heat is oppressive." He responded emotionlessly._

_His father laughed and said, "You have a way of always stating the obvious."_

_He glanced at his father. "I do not find the heat pleasurable."_

_"Neither do I, but instead of focusing on the negative you should try to see the beauty of the moment."_

_He did not answer immediately. Instead he looked out over the late morning sky. Looking for something positive to say he spoke hesitantly, "It will rain later this afternoon. Maybe things will cool down slightly when it is over."_

_His father smiled. "And how have you come to that conclusion?" _

_He continued to gaze at the sky. Raising his hand he pointed to the clusters of small, puffy clouds massing together. "Those clouds always appear before it rains. On a day as hot and humid as this one, we will probably have a pretty heavy thunderstorm." _

_"You discovered all of this just by watching the clouds in the sky?"_

_"It wasn't hard to figure it out. I just paid close attention."_

_His father reached over and tousled his hair. With lightness to his voice he said, "You are so much like your mother. She pays attention to every detail. Such keen observation will be an asset to you as you grow older."_

_He couldn't help but smile at his father's compliment. Turning to him he said, "Well if it is going to rain we should get back to the field and finish the day's work before the storm comes."_

_"True." His father stated. He started to rise to his feet. Daisuke noticed him grimace slightly from the effort. _

_Standing quickly he offered his father his shoulder once more. "Use me if you need." _

_His father nodded quietly and reached out to grasp his shoulder once again. Neither spoke as they made their way back to the field. The fact that his father had not dismissed his offer of help frightened him in a way he couldn't explain. He wondered just how much longer they would be able to pretend that everything was ok. _

_All of his young life he had never trusted in things that he could not see or experience. He was not the type to turn to false hopes to create a sense of calm in troubled times. Still for just this one instance he wished he could believe in the impossible because deep in his heart he feared that his father would not be with him for much longer, and the thought of that was too much for him to bear._

* * *

He let out a soft groan as he felt himself being laid onto a soft surface. Around him he once again heard voices, but he was too weak to even open his eyes to see the faces that belonged to them.

"This does not look good." A woman's voice spoke softly.

"You've dealt with worse." This time the voice was male.

"True." The woman returned. "Still I can't help but feel that it would be better for all of us if we just let him die."

"Do you honestly think you could sit back and watch him die without at least attempting to save him?"

The woman let out a deep, exhausted sigh. He could feel her gently touching his body, and then she spoke a simple incantation. Immediately he felt an energy begin to course through his being. Kido, his mind registered, she was using Kido to heal his injuries. Yet this made no sense. He wasn't sure why, but he couldn't help but think that there was a better way to do this; another person who could heal him, no not heal him, but reject the injury entirely.

He grasped for a name, but instead he saw a face. And then he remembered, "Inoue."

A slight ripple passed through the energy surrounding him.

"Did you say something?" the woman asked.

"No." the man replied.

The energy resumed its steady flow. After a moment she spoke again.

"You know if he does live, we'll really have a big mess on our hands." She spoke in a whisper.

"What fun would life be if we didn't have a big mess to clean up every now and then?"

"With you it seems like a constant flow of 'now'" she returned teasingly.

"Hey I don't ask for these problems, they just seem to find me."

"Well this problem could become deadly for Orihime if the Soul Society finds out."

"Then I guess we'll just have to make sure that they don't find out."

"And how do you plan to keep the last remaining Espada from them. Or more importantly the fact that this Espada is now human."

"Give me time." The man said. "I'll come up with something."


	3. Chapter 3

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters_

* * *

Chapter 3 - The Plan

_They were running through the hallways of Las Noches. She was intent on finding the Hogyoku, and for some reason that he could not remember he was not trying to stop her._

_"What do you plan to do if you actually find it?" He remembered taunting her._

_"I'm going to reject its existence. I am going to destroy it so Aizen can never use it to create the King's Key." She responded hotly._

_Reject the Hogyoku, impossible. The girl was deluded. "Aizen-sama will never allow it." He replied._

_"I'm not going to give him a choice." She shot back defiantly. _

_He couldn't help but smile inwardly at her tenacity. He had learned in his time spent with her that she was a stubborn girl, and there was a part of him that held no doubt that she would do just as she had said. Still he would not give her the satisfaction of knowing his thoughts._

_"Karakura Town has probably been destroyed by now. Why should you even try?" he asked._

_She stopped running and stared after him. When he too stopped and turned to her she said, "Nothing you say will stop me. I know that my friends are safe. I believe that the Soul Society will defeat Aizen. But I will no longer sit on the side lines and watch helplessly. I am going to do my part. It's a promise I made to myself not long after you brought me here. I will destroy the Hogyoku."_

_He stared at her for a moment and then said simply, "I see."_

_She scrunched up her face for a moment and waited for him to continue. She fascinated him. The way she believed, even when all the evidence was contrary. He would see what came of this._

_"Then I guess we should continue on in this direction." He said and then began to run again._

_"Eh." She responded and then she started to chase after him. Catching up again she panted, "Why are you doing this?"_

_"I guess I'm just curious. Your pathetic belief that your friends could come here and defeat Aizen's forces actually had some merit. I am interested to see just how far this will go."_

_"Oh." She replied and then smiled. _

_"You understand though that if it seems as if you will succeed, I will have to stop you."_

_Her smile gave way to confusion._

_"Aizen-Sama placed me in charge when he left. Even in this state of being I will not abandon Las Noches."_

_Her confusion disappeared and once again she wore a look of determination upon her face. Much better, he thought to himself. He would not have her believing that he was her ally. Much had happened since she came to this place, but his loyalty to Aizen would never falter._

* * *

The pain in his chest greeted him as he struggled to regain consciousness. It was no longer searing, but a dull steady ache. Though it caused him discomfort it was nowhere as debilitating as it had been earlier.

Slowly he opened his eyes. The room was dark. The only illumination came from a lamp in the corner. The light was just bright enough to make out his immediate surroundings. The room was a rather simple; constructed of wood with very few furnishings. A screen door was off to his right. It was currently closed, guarded by a black cat that was sleeping in front of it.

He was definitely not in Hueco Mundo. Could it be the Soul Society? No, that wasn't a possibility. He distinctly remembered hearing something about not involving the Soul Society. Whoever held him was obviously not on good terms with them.

Once again his attention was drawn to the cat by the door. As he stared at it the animal opened its eyes and returned his gaze. As he looked into its golden eyes he couldn't help but feel that there was something about the cat that wasn't ordinary. Information he had gathered in the past, but could not call to mind at the moment.

The cat stood and stretched lazily. Opening its mouth it let out a loud yawn. Slowly it made its way to where he lay. Stopping in front of him it sat down again.

"So I guess you're going to make it after all," the cat said in a rather masculine voice.

His eyes opened wide in surprise. He wondered if maybe he had hit his head as well when he was injured. "You can talk."

The cat laughed and said, "Of course I can."

"But cats cannot talk. This is not possible."

The cat let out a sigh and said, "I guess all males are the same whether they're Arrancar or human. Why is it so difficult to believe in a talking cat?"

In all his years of existence he had seen many strange things. In truth a talking cat should not have been so odd, and yet for some reason he could not reconcile himself to it. Arguing the point though would have been a waste of time. Instead he focused on more pressing issues.

"Where am I?" He asked.

"Where do you think you are?" the cat returned.

Ulquiorra couldn't help but feel frustration creep into his being. He did not like games like this. Trying to keep the irritation from his voice, but failing miserably, he said, "I assume the World of the Living."

"You would be correct." The cat returned.

He let out a sigh and struggled to think of his next question. His thoughts were becoming increasingly muddled and he was beginning to feel lightheaded.

"How did I get here?"

"We brought you here after Aizen ran you through with his Zanpakuto."

His eyes widened at this revelation. His memories of what occurred after Orihime brought him back from ash were vague and full of gaps.

"Why?" he said before he realized that he was speaking.

"Why did he run you through, or why did we bring you back?" the cat countered.

Unsure of what he actually had meant he asked, "Why did you save my life? I do not know you. You had no reason to help me."

"We did it for Orihime."

"Now Yoruichi you shouldn't be so testy with our guest."

Ulquiorra looked up at the door to the room. Kisuke Urahara stood there smiling. He was unsure of what shocked him more, the man's sudden appearance or the fact that he had not recognized the cat before him as Yoruichi Shihōin. He had been thorough in his investigation of all of Soul Society captains. He knew about Urahara and Shihoin's past, as well as their connection to Aizen. He was aware of her shape shifting abilities, and yet all this information had escaped him.

"And what reason would you give, Kisuke?" Yoruichi shot back.

"Compassion?" he said.

"More like intellectual curiosity." She returned.

"I resent that comment."

"Even if it holds merit?" she stated.

Urahara sighed. Looking at Ulquiorra he said, "Honestly I can't help but feel a slight bit of responsibility for your existence. Well your existence as an Arrancar. Your human condition is another problem all in itself."

He couldn't help but feel confusion at the Shinigami's words. Arrancar, human, nothing was making sense. Around him the room began to blur.

"I feel hot." He said to no one in particular.

Suddenly a hand was placed against his forehead.

"He's burning up." Yoruichi said.

Looking at her he saw that she had returned to her human form. The sight of her nudity as she leaned over him caused him to flush even deeper than the fever had.

"Yoruichi, I think you're causing our guest even more discomfort." Urahara said; his voice indicating that he found the situation very humorous.

"Honestly, what is it with this generation? Is the sight of a naked woman that overwhelming?" she asked irritably. She removed her hand from his forehead and sat back. "This isn't good. He's got and infection."

Ulquiorra could feel himself burning up from the rising fever. His body had begun to ache in a way that he was not familiar. His eyes became heavy and he found that it took too much energy to keep them open. Closing his eyes he slipped into a state of semi consciousness.

"Damn it! I finally get the bleeding under control and now this. Why is it that I'm having such a hard time healing him?" Yoruichi said frustrated.

"Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he used to be hollow?" Kisuke asked.

"If Orihime rejected that existence, wouldn't he simply be human?" she returned.

"That is something that I haven't quite figured out yet. But if he is human then I think I can at least help with the infection."

"Where are you going?"

"I have a call to make."

He could hear footsteps receding and then the closing of the screen. Beside him Yoruichi let out a sigh.

In a voice laced with annoyance she said, "I sincerely hope that you are not more work than you are worth." She grew silent, but once again he felt her cool hand gently touch his forehead. When she spoke again her voice was softer. "Kisuke, why is it that I am the one who ends up taking care of all your strays."

He was at a loss for the meaning behind her words. Gradually he slipped into darkness. The cool hand on his forehead though felt right. Somehow the gentle touch did more to ease his discomfort than anything else.

* * *

_He sat quietly beside the fire. His thoughts were on his father. His unspoken fears had come to pass. Over the course of the spring his father's health had deteriorated rapidly. His legs began to pain him more and more so that by the summer he could not walk unaided. When harvest time came his father was completely bedridden. The effort to walk, even with assistance was too much for him._

_With this new development came an even more terrifying manifestation. His father's internal systems had begun to fail as well. He found it harder to swallow the foods that were prepared for him, and what he could get down disagreed with him to such a degree that he was in constant agony. By the beginning of winter he had wasted away to what seemed to be half of his former size. The only thing he seemed to tolerate any more was a watered down mush similar to what one would feed a very young child. Once Daisuke had stolen a taste of it and found it to be so bland that he had spit it back out immediately._

_Still his father persevered with dignity. He spent many a cold winter's day listening as Daisuke would tell him stories about the things that he had observed around their tiny farm. He found that the more details he remembered, the happier his father would appear._

_Yet as he related these stories he could not help but noticed how sad they made his mother. She would sit quietly mending their clothes or cooking their meals with tears streaming down her face. She was careful as to not let his father see her sorrow, but he knew that the man was aware of the pain his illness caused his wife._

_This was the one thing that he understood weighed heaviest on his father's heart. He was afraid for his wife and son. Their future would be bleak without him. _

_One day before he had lost his mobility, he had given Daisuke a letter. He asked him to deliver it to a friend of his in the village. He had told him that his friend would know what to do with it. He wondered about that letter frequently. Who had his father been in contact with? Why did he not share its contents with him? And why had he completely hidden its existence from his mother?_

_Now as his father's life was coming to an end Daisuke put the letter from his mind. All that mattered was his father. From across the room he heard the man gagging as his mother tried to feed him. Even the tasteless mush was no longer going down. _

_He rose and walked quickly to where his father lay. His mother was crying and his father was speaking softly to her trying to bring her some comfort. As his father's health had begun to decline noticeably, his mother continued to hold on to hope that he would recover. Daisuke knew differently. He did not cling to false hopes. He knew that his father was dying, and his father respected him enough to always be candid in their conversations. He never once tried to coat the truth in false pleasantries._

_Now he looked at his son as he approached. He said something to his wife and she turned to look at Daisuke. Rising silently she walked away carrying the uneaten food with her. He took her place by his father's side. The man's breathing was labored and Daisuke feared that he would not last through the night._

_Still he smiled at his son and spoke in a whisper, "I am so sorry that it has come to this. I wish it were different, but I know that my life is coming to an end."_

_He paused to breathe and gather his thoughts. Daisuke remained silent. _

"_You are a strong boy Daisuke. I know that you will survive this, but your mother, she cannot face what is happening. She will need you even more after I am gone."_

_Once again he paused. This time it took longer for him to recover his breath. Tears began to stream down his father's face as looked again at his son. At that moment a terror sank into his young heart. The reality that he had thought he had understood was nothing compared to the actual event. His father was going to die. Franticly he reached out and grasped his father's hand._

"_Please don't… please don't die…"_

_His father squeezed his hand and spoke again, "Daisuke I need you to listen to me please."_

_He looked up at his father. He tried to calm himself so that he could give his father his full attention. Silently he nodded his head when he felt that he was once again in control._

_His father smiled sadly and continued, "When I am gone your mother will need your strength. I am entrusting you with her care. Please make sure that she eats and gets rest. Don't let her succumb to her sorrows."_

_His father grew silent again and closed his eyes. The tears still continued to flow. The pain of what he__ had to say was worse than anything the illness had brought to him so far._

_Opening his eyes again he said, "I need you to understand something. This is of greatest importance. There will come a time when you may be offered help in your situation. No matter how much you may dislike what you hear, you must accept that help. All that matters is your survival at this point. Do what you have to do to see that you continue to live. Make any deal that you need to in order to keep your mother safe and to stay alive. Please promise me that you will do this."_

_Daisuke did not quite understand what he was agreeing to, but he would have done anything at that point to alleviate his father of his burden. Nodding his head he said, "I will do whatever is required of me."_

_His father smiled and closed his eyes. His words were the last he ever spoke. Hours later he was dead. Daisuke knelt beside his mother at his father's side. She wailed inconsolably. He too felt a pain so deep that he wished he had no heart. He would have gladly traded it to be free of this grief and sadness. What good was it anyways if it only led one to such misery?_

* * *

He was still burning with fever when he regained consciousness again. His chest hurt with each breath he took, but this was different from the pain of his injury. This was more a feeling of tightness. It restricted his breathing and made him feel as if he was drowning.

He heard voices around him; Urahara, Shihōin, and a third he had never heard before.

"I don't understand why he is so sick." Yoruichi said.

"You used Kido. That took care of his injuries, but you know that infection can set in, especially if his lungs were compromised." The voice was definitely male, and the hands that began to probe his body were not that of Yoruichi. Though they were just as gentle, the actions were more purposeful. He understood that this man knew exactly what he was looking for.

Hands felt his neck and then moved down to his armpits. Then suddenly they were gone. In their absence a cold, metal instrument was placed on his chest. The unexpected chill made him pull back involuntarily. A soft hiss escaped his lips.

"Sorry, I know that must feel very cold, but it can't be helped." The metal device was removed and replaced several times. Hands were then on him again gently moving him onto his side. The metal instrument was then placed on his back. After a while he was laid back down.

"It seems as if he has pneumonia. It shouldn't be too hard to treat with conventional medicine."

"That simple, eh?" Urahara said.

"Sometimes basic human medicine can do wonders. I gave up Kido spells a long time ago, though I admit they would probably come in handy every now and then."

"I would suppose that in your line of work you don't have as much need for them." Yoruichi commented.

"I don't know, with Ichigo for a son I may need to brush up on them if I want to keep him alive."

"Kurosaki," he rasped. He was finally able to open his eyes and was met with the confused gaze of a man with dark hair and in desperate need of a shave.

"You know my son Ichigo?" he asked. "How is that?"

"You really don't want to know." Kisuke said.

"We fought." Ulquiorra stated.

"Really."

"I killed him – twice."

Kurosaki's father stared at him for a moment and then began to laugh. Grabbing his side he sat back. Tears began to stream down his face.

"You find that funny?" he asked feeling annoyed by the man's antics.

Calming down enough to talk the elder Kurosaki said, "You kids today have such active imaginations!"

"That they do." Urahara piped in.

These people are all insane, he thought to himself.

Ichigo's father regained his composure and said, "I'm going to leave you this medicine. Make sure he takes it as directed and this should clear up quickly. I'll try to stop by in a few days to check up on him."

"We appreciate it Isshin." Urahara said.

The two men rose and headed for the door. Standing beside it they began to talk in much quieter voices. Ulquiorra closed his eyes and tried to listen to their conversation, but found the effort took too much energy.

Yoruichi shook him gently and said, "Take this before you fall back asleep." She placed a pill on his tongue. Easing his head up she had him sip some water. "Now swallow."

The water felt cool on his throat and the pill went down without a problem. He looked to the door, but the two men had left. He closed his eyes, again fighting the exhaustion. Without wanting to he slipped back into a restless slumber.

* * *

"So what's really going on Kisuke?" Isshin asked the Shinigami.

"What do you mean?"

"That boy, he's not human is he?"

"You tell me. You're the one who examined him." Kisuke shot back.

"He looks just like every other kid at Ichigo's high school, but somehow I don't think that's the case." He stared at Urahara for a moment and then continued. "I don't know what kind of trouble you're into now, but try to keep my kid out of it."

Kisuke smiled and patted Isshin on the back. "I'm always looking out for him."

"Yeah, sure you are. Just try a little harder.

Kisuke watched him leave. As soon as the doors to the shop closed Yoruichi was beside him.

"Well that was very beneficial." He said.

"How so?" she asked.

"I think I figured out the plan to keep Soul Society in the dark."

"Care to enlighten me?"

Placing his arm around her shoulders he walked her back to the room that they were keeping Ulquiorra.

"It's really quite simple." He began. "We just have to get him to fit in with the rest of Karakura High."


	4. Chapter 4

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 4 ~ Realizations**

_"I am entrusting the care of Orihime Inoue to you. Make sure that her needs are met and that she is kept safe from the others."_

_"Yes Aizen-sama."_

_He turned to leave only to have Aizen call out to him again. Facing Aizen he noticed a garment in the Shinigami's hands._

_"Have her wear this. After all she is one of us now. She should dress the part. Don't you think?"_

_"Of course. Aizen-sama." He responded emotionlessly. _

_"I can always count on you, can't I Ulquiorra?"_

_He knew that Aizen was not looking for an answer. It was the man's way of reminding him of where his loyalties should lie. He bowed his head and turned again to leave. The girl was weak and he knew that she would be nothing but a nuisance. Still he would do as Aizen commanded, and when the time came that she was no longer of any use to the Shinigami, he would kill her gladly._

* * *

He awoke to find the room he was in still dark. He had no idea what time it was, but he found that he was more aware of his surroundings than before. His head was starting to clear as his body began to heal. Yoruichi Shihōin lay beside his futon. He was relieved to see that she now wore clothes. Curious about where he was he eased himself slowly into a sitting position.

"You really should try not to move around too much. You could re-injure yourself." Yoruichi spoke softly. She began to sit up.

"I feel much better than before."

"That's due to the medicine that Isshin left for you. Honestly, unless you want to relapse, the doctor recommends rest."

"I am not going to relapse." He started, but was interrupted as violent coughs racked his body. The pain in his chest was made worse by the tearing sensation he was experiencing in the still healing stab wound. Once again he was reminded of how frail humans were, and he couldn't help but feel resentment for his current condition.

As the spasms from the coughing abated he spared a glance at the woman at his side. She appeared rather smug and smiled slyly at him.

"You know it took a long time to control that bleeding. I would appreciate it if you didn't open your chest up again with the coughing." She stated.

He brought his hand up to his chest. Bandages were wrapped snuggly against the wound. Beneath it lay the place where Aizen had stabbed him, no run him through was what Yoruichi had said earlier.

"I don't remember what happened."

"You defied Aizen."

"Defied Aizen? Why would I do that? I have never had any cause to go against his commands." He stated.

"He ordered you to kill Orihime. You don't remember that?"

"Kill Inoue?" he said absently.

Why would that have caused him to challenge Aizen's orders? He had been waiting for the command since he had brought her to Las Noches. He had wanted to be rid of her since the very beginning. His thoughts traveled back to that moment, and suddenly it rushed back to him in perfect clarity.

_

* * *

_

They had reached Aizen's chamber where he had last seen the Hogyoku, and were trying to figure out what do next. Suddenly Aizen was there. The spiritual pressure was suffocating in his current state, and he wondered if he would be able to withstand it for very long.

"_Ulquiorra," Aizen's strong voice permeated their surroundings. "What has become of you?"_

_He turned to face his master. Aizen stood with a smile on his face. "It would seem that I had misjudged you entirely Orihime. I gather that you are responsible for Ulquiorra's lowly estate."_

_Orihime remained silent. This brought a laugh from Aizen. He approached Ulquiorra and reached out a hand to gently caress the former Espada's cheek._

"_My poor Ulquiorra, this must be completely intolerable for you. Seeing as you detest humans and their weakness. I am surprised that you have allowed the girl to live."_

"_You have not given me the command to kill her as of yet, Aizen-sama." He replied._

_This made his master smile even more. He brought his hand back to his side and walked away from Ulquiorra. Reaching out he activated the controls that released the Hogyoku from its hiding place. Picking up the object he said almost lovingly, "Would you like to regain your former status amongst your brothers and sisters? I could give it back to you. I could undo what she has done."_

_Impossible, Ulquiorra thought. He doubted that even the Hogyoku could reverse what Inoue had done earlier that day. _

"_Do you doubt me Ulquiorra?" he asked._

"_No Aizen-sama." He lied. He wanted nothing more than to believe it could be true, but it wasn't in his nature to believe in things he couldn't see. Inoue's powers were tangible. He had witnessed it firsthand. _

_Aizen continued to smile. Whether he believed Ulquiorra or not was unclear. Still staring at the Hogyoku he said, "I no longer have a use for the girl. You may kill her."_

_Ulquiorra couldn't help but stiffen at Aizen's command. Orihime let out a startled gasp._

"_Do you have a problem with that?" he asked._

_Ulquiorra turned and faced the Shinigami. It was then that he noticed things that he had missed before. Aizen's robes were torn in places. Blood stained his clothes, though he did not notice any serious wounds on the man himself. Still it was obvious that things had not gone completely as planned. Yet he still had the Hogyoku in his possession. It was possible to win the war._

"_No Aizen-sama." He said emotionlessly. _

"_Good then. Do as I order you to." _

_He smiled wickedly. Ulquiorra understood that Aizen was thoroughly enjoying this test. There was so much more at play here then his simply killing the girl._

"_Do it now Ulquiorra."_

_Ulquiorra turned and faced Orihime. Surprise alighted her features. He began to close the distance between them. Suddenly he could sense the spiritual pressure of multiple beings. They were no longer alone. If he didn't act now he may never get the chance._

_Quickly he moved towards her bringing his hands swiftly to her neck. It was then he made the mistake of looking into her eyes. Even in the face of death she remained defiant._

"_You are still unafraid?" he asked_

"_Yes." She responded._

"_That is a mistake." He said coldly._

_She gave him no response. Her eyes continued to meet his in a contest of wills. Why was she so stubborn he thought? Why did she have to look at him like that? Did she honestly believe in him? Did she think that he would spare her?_

_He began to apply pressure to her throat._

"_I forgive you Ulquiorra-san." She rasped. Her voice was barely a whisper, and he doubted that anyone else could hear her._

_His stoic resolve faltered and he couldn't keep the stunned expression from his face. Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard another woman condemn him. He was a monster. What he had done was unforgivable. Yet here stood Orihime, facing death at his hands, offering forgiveness._

_She was strong, stronger maybe than Aizen. Could that be why he had given the command? Did the former Shinigami captain actually fear Inoue's powers?_

_His hands faltered. He removed them from her neck and slowly dropped them to his side. Another voice from his past echoed in his ears. 'Do what you have to do to see that you continue to live.'_

_Orihime was his key to survival. She offered him life, and a chance to regain what he had lost so long ago. Aizen's promises suddenly rang hollow in his ears. His desire to follow him blindly left him. He glanced at Orihime and saw her smile at him. Relief evident on her face. _

_Suddenly he felt a pain pierce his back. Looking down he noticed the tip of Aizen's blade protruding from his chest. His master brought his face up to Ulquiorra. _

_Whispering in his ear he said harshly, "I trusted you to protect Las Noches. I gave you power and authority over your brother Espadas, and this is how you repay me?"_

_As the blade withdrew from his body he thought, so this is what happens when you defy Aizen. Still he knew that he would do it again if just to hear her utter those words. Just for the slight taste of redemption._

* * *

He clutched his chest as the memories played out before him. He had defied Aizen. He had stood with Inoue against his master and somehow had survived. Instantly his thoughts rocketed to the girl that he had spared.

"What happened to Inoue?"

Yoruichi nodded her head to his left. The room had begun to lighten as the sun made its way into the morning sky. Looking in the direction she indicated he noticed a figure lying on a futon.

"Inoue?" he asked.

"She's been asleep since we returned."

"How long ago was that?" he asked.

"Four days." The Shinigami replied.

"Four days!" he said incredulously. His gaze swept back to Yoruichi. "What is wrong with her?"

"Urahara said that when she destroyed the Hogyoku…"

"Destroyed the Hogyoku?" he interrupted.

"Yes, when she destroyed the Hogyoku she used up much of her spiritual energy. Her slumber is sort of like recharging her batteries. She'll be fine, but we wanted to keep an eye on her until she wakes up."

"Impossible," he whispered. "Aizen…"

"Aizen is dead." She stated coldly.

"How?" he asked, stunned by her revelation.

"You can't piss off as many people as Aizen did and not be killed by one of them."

"Who?" he asked.

"The Vizards." She responded. "They're a group of Shinigami that Aizen hollowfied. They lost everything as a result of what he did, and they had over a hundred years to plan their revenge."

"Kurosaki, is he one of these Vizards?" That would explain a lot.

"A more recent member you could say." She returned.

Ulquiorra sat in silence for a moment as he tried to process the information that she had given him. Looking straight ahead he asked, "What about Tosen and Ichimaru?"

"Tosen died during the battle here in Karakura Town. Ichimaru's whereabouts are currently unknown."

"I see" he replied. "And the Espada?"

"As far as we know you are the last."

They both grew silent after that. He stared at the shadows creeping up the wall as the sun continued its assent. Four days ago his life had been full of certainties. Aizen's plans had gone exactly as he had predicted they would. Karakura Town was poised to fall, and Kurosaki and his friends were about to meet their end. But now all of that had changed. Aizen was dead, the Espada as well, and worse he was now human.

Nothing made sense anymore. Frustrated he ran his hands through his hair and met no resistance. His mask that had been a part of him for over a hundred years was gone. Suddenly it was too much. Angrily he began to rise to his feet.

"What do you think you're doing?" Yoruichi demanded.

"I'm leaving." He shot back.

"And where will you go?" she asked. "You're human. It's not like you can open a garganta and return to Hueco Mundo."

He turned and looked at her. The fact that he could not return to Hueco Mundo was painfully obvious to him; as was the fact that his new found humanity left him as weak and vulnerable as all the other pathetic trash that inhabited the World of the Living.

"I do not know. I'll figure something out."

"You're not thinking clearly. You need to rest or you'll just get sick again."

"I don't care!" he replied harshly.

Suddenly another series of coughs began to rack his body. He reached out a hand to grasp the door in front of him to keep from falling down.

"Damn it!" he hissed, when he was finally able to catch his breath again. Then looking at her he said, "I suppose you find this whole situation rather amusing."

"There is nothing humorous about the situation that we are in. Your new status as human creates quite a few problems for us." She replied honestly.

"You are not the one forced to be human." He stated.

"I have lived among the humans for about a hundred years. Admittedly your condition is different than mine. Still your problem affects us all."

"How is that?" he asked.

"Sit back down and I will explain." She replied. He moved back to his futon and sat back on his heels. Resuming her position on the floor beside him she continued. "The Soul Society will not look kindly on what Orihime did. They do not like anyone messing with the balance between the living and the dead. Destroying the Hogyoku has made them leery of her powers, but if they found out that she had rejected your existence as a hollow, they may consider her a threat and take action to assure that nothing like this happens again."

"You mean kill her."

She glanced over at the girl and said, "Kisuke and I will not let that happen."

"And how do you propose to do that?" he asked.

"Kisuke's working on a plan, but I guess it all comes down to whether or not you are willing to work with us."

"How can I agree to a plan when I know nothing about it?"

"True, but remember that your fate is tied to hers. If they come for Orihime, they will come for you as well. By protecting her you will be ensuring your own existence."

He had nothing to say in response to her statement. They sat silently for a moment and then she rose to her feet.

"I've given you plenty to think about. Take some time to digest it all, and I'll be back for you later. I've got things to do for Kisuke now that the sun is up."

With that she was gone. Feeling fatigued he lay back down. His racing mind though prevented him from getting any sleep. Feelings of anger and frustration surged through him and he found it hard to contain his emotions. For as long as he could remember he had always been able to bury his feelings deep inside of himself. Displaying emotion was equivalent to showing an opponent your weaknesses. He had learned to hide what he was feeling. His mask of indifference was his greatest weapon.

Now he found it becoming increasingly harder to maintain that control. Humans, he thought, were weak. They wore their emotions for all to see. He despised that about them, yet his new found humanity seemed to make him just as vulnerable; just as pathetic.

It would take all of his energy to remain distant. Now more than ever in his life he would need to keep his thoughts and feelings hidden. The situation was dangerous. He had no doubt that the Soul Society would come for him if they discovered where he was. In order to stay alive he would have to remain inconspicuous.

As exhausted as he was he realized that he was not going to find any rest in his current state. Slowly he sat back up. The illness left him frail, and the injury he had received from Aizen pained him greatly, even though it was healing.

His hand went to his chest as he thought back to his final encounter with Aizen. Even now, after regaining his memories, he was stunned to think that he had gone against Aizen's commands. Admittedly he had begun to take interest in Orihime Inoue and her friends, but he did not want to become one of them. He enjoyed the power and dominance that went with his position as the Fourth Espada. He had struggled for over a hundred years to become what he was.

When Aizen had offered him the chance to become something even more powerful, something that he could not yet achieve on his own, an Arrancar, he took it. He knew that it would require his loyalty to the Shinigami, but it was a small price to pay. And besides, he had no problem following someone as devious as Aizen. The man was a tactical genius. He thought through every scenario; played every situation to his advantage. Ulquiorra found him a refreshing change.

Now Aizen was gone; his plans for creating the Kings Key destroyed by a teenage girl. It was hard to reconcile that Orihime had rejected the Hogyoku. Aizen had underestimated her, as had he, and yet she had surprised them both with her resolve and her strength.

Silently he got to his feet and walked over to where she lay sleeping. Gazing at her he wondered if Yoruichi was simply telling him stories to gage his reaction. Could this girl have really rejected the Hogyoku's existence?

He sat down beside her and continued to stare at her. Images from his previous encounters with her played in his mind. The girl had been easy to read. Her obvious love for her friends and willingness to do anything to keep them safe had been her greatest weakness. He exploited that weakness from their very first encounter, but after a while he discovered that what he believed to be a weakness was actually her greatest strength. She had believed in her friends, even when the facts proved she should otherwise. She refused to hear anything to the contrary.

He thought back to that moment when she realized that Yasutora was dying. He had taunted her mercilessly, and even though she begged him to stop, he would not relent. He hated her resolve. He had wanted to crush her spirit and yet she had refused to allow him the pleasure. When she struck him he was taken completely by surprise. He would never have believed that she had it in her to do such a thing.

It had taken all of his self control not to kill here then and there. His anger that she, a lowly human, had raised a hand defiantly to him had driven him to seek a fitting punishment. And Kurosaki had provided him with the perfect outlet for his revenge. Admittedly he had wanted to fight the young Shinigami since his first encounter with the teen, but the fact that Inoue had feelings for him made his victory all the more enjoyable.

And yet she had still somehow managed to get the upper hand. Grimmjow's lust for battle had given her the oppurtunity she needed to stand against him once more. He would have gladly killed the Sixth Espada for his part in her defiance, but he would never get that chance. Grimmjow was gone, just as were all the rest of his kind. He had faced loneliness before in his life, but this was something very different. He had become an oddity, unsure of exactly were he fit in. He still felt the anger and the emptiness that came with being a Hollow, but he also began to feel something else.

The memories from his previous life, before he lost his soul, had unnerved him. He too had been weak; emotions ruled his every action. Even though he could not remember his past entirely, he understood that those feelings had eventually destroyed him. Hollows were born from sadness, despair, and longing. Though unsure of what had actually driven him to that point he knew that it had something to do with regret and a desperate need to be forgiven.

"_I forgive you Ulquiorra-san"_

Those simple words had broken through his defenses and had persuaded him to spare her life. Looking at her as she slept he wondered what he truly believed in anymore. Initially when she had rejected his existence as a Hollow, and had brought him back in a human body, he had felt overwhelming anger. Any connection that had been present at his death was severed by her actions. His desire to return to his former life as an Arrancar strengthened his loyalty to Aizen.

But yet she managed to unsettle him again. Just as when she reached out for him earlier, her forgiveness of his actions caused him to question his beliefs about life. She believed in things that could not been seen. She trusted in her friends; was willing to die alone, comforted by the fact that they had come for her.

"_My heart is already with them."_

How could she believe such things? The idea was ridiculous, this connection between people that she so desperately clung to. Yet something bound her to her friends. They had traveled to Hueco Mundo, and against all the odds, had rescued her. Seven of the Espada (himself included) had fallen at the hands of her friends and the Shinigami who came after them, the Hogyoku was destroyed, and all of Aizen's plans were foiled.

His belief in the physical had prevented him from seeing the power of the human heart. That part of him that hungered for knowledge and understanding couldn't help but be intrigued by it all. He admittedly wanted to know more, and the anger he initially felt was replaced with curiosity.

"_It may be impossible for all of us to share the exact same feelings, but when you both care for each other; your hearts are able to draw a little closer together. That's what it means when we say our souls are one. _

He reached out his hand and gently brushed aside a stray piece of hair that had fallen across her face.

"I should hate you," he softly began, "and yet I can't help but be intrigued by your beliefs."

He stared at her silently for a moment. Whatever he chose to do would seal both of their fates. Whether he wanted it or not Yoruichi was right, and now his life and hers were interwoven.

In a whisper he continued, "I lost my heart a long time ago, but now I wonder if maybe it is possible to find it again."

He sat back on his knees and fell into silence again. Kurosaki had said during their battle that he (Ulquiorra) was possibly becoming more human. Maybe it was true. This girl before him had begun to change him without him even realizing it. Now he had no choice but to change. His old life was gone. If he didn't adapt, this one would cease as well.

Behind him he heard the screen door open. Footsteps approached and by the heaviness of the gate he knew it wasn't Yoruichi Shihoin. Kisuke Urahara knelt down beside him and gazed at Orihime.

He sat silently for a moment and then began to speak, "So Yoruichi tells me that you have started to remember what happened in Hueco Mundo."

"I have." He replied.

Urahara stared at him. The silence between them grew until it began to wear on his nerves.

Turning to the Shinigami he asked, "Is there something you wish to know?"

"Well actually there is."

Kisuke grew silent again.

"Yes?" Ulquiorra asked.

"I had thought your loyalty to Aizen was without question, yet you disobeyed his command to kill Orihime, why was that?"

"Am I to believe that you would have allowed me to carry through with the order if I had wanted to?"

Kisuke smiled at his words. "So you sensed my presence? And here I thought that you were just as dull to spiritual pressure as every other human."

"_Your_ spiritual pressure I could not sense, but Yoruichi Shihoin's was unmistakable."

"So you just assume we come as a package deal?" the Shinigami teased. "Actually we usually do, but still you have not answered my question."

"And you have not mine." He shot back.

Urarhara's jovial expression changed. Ulquiorra had seen that look before when the Shinigami had faced down Yammy on the Espada's first visit to the World of the Living since he had been unmasked. _'Don't fuck with me'_ it seemed to say. Ulquiorra realized that whatever game they were playing earlier was over.

"It is rather complicated." He said. "Regardless of your response, I could not carry out Aizen's command."

"I would never have let you kill her." Kisuke replied coldly.

"So I suppose I was doomed either way?"

"I guess you could say that?"

"And yet you and Shihoin brought me back here."

"Orihime tried to heal you after she rejected the Hogyoku, but she didn't have the strength. We couldn't just leave you there. It wouldn't have been right."

"I see." He replied softly. He thought about all the Shinigami had said and then continued, "I realized that Aizen could not offer me what she could."

"And that would be?"

He hesitated for a moment. He would be giving Urahara information that was very damning. Still he understood that it was necessary. A certain level of trust had to be established if he was to survive in his new circumstance.

"Redemption." He simply said.

This brought a soft chuckle from Urahara, "It would seem our girl here is even more powerful than we previously thought."

Ulquiorra did not know how to respond to the man. It was hard to tell if he was laughing at him or not. Not be able to come up with a retort he sat there silently.

"So then I guess we can count on you to keep her safe if the Soul Society should come asking questions?" Urahara asked.

"I am not on the Soul Society's side. Why would I give them the opportunity to harm her?"

Kisuke nodded and then smiled. "Alright then," He stood and stretched. "Yoruichi should be back by now. Do you think you can stand?"

Ulquiorra nodded. The Shinigami held out his hand. "I think you should come with me."

He wasn't sure what Urahara had planned, but there was no use putting it off. He took Kisuke's hand and rose slowly to his feet. Urahara led him down the hallway. They came to a closed door. He could hear voices on the other side talking quietly.

"I have a plan to avoid prying eyes and unwanted questions, and it may seem odd at first, but if you trust me I think it can work." Urahara said in a whisper.

Kisuke reached for the panel and pushed it open.

Yoruichi knelt by a table in the middle of the room. Gathered with her were Ichigo Kurosaki, the Quincy, and Yasutora.

Catching sight of him, Kurosaki stood abruptly and yelled, "What the hell Urahara!"

"Now, now Ichigo," Kisuke began in placating tones, "Before you get upset just hear what I have to say."

* * *

**A.N.** This chapter was completely revamped from beginning to end. I wanted it to be a little darker than I it was with more reflection on Ulquiorra's part. I hope it explains better why he will eventually agree to things down the road in future chapters.

I appreciate the reviews I've gotten so far. Writing in the Bleach universe is very difficult for me. Most series end between 25-60 episodes. Getting to know the characters is easier. Needless to say I am a little worried about keeping them IC especially during dialog - and the next chapter is going to be riddled with it. Any imput I recieve helps tremendously.


	5. Chapter 5

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._

* * *

**Chapter 5 - The Presentation**

Ulquiorra couldn't say he was surprised to see Kurosaki and his friends. It was inevitable that they would meet again. He figured that it was too much to hope that Yammy had crushed the Shinigami during their battle. From the looks of the three teens before him he realized that being crushed was the only thing they had avoided. Each was covered with cuts, bruises, and bandages. Still they were alive, and Yammy was dead.

"So I can see that introductions aren't necessary." Urahara joked as they entered the room.

Kurosaki glared at Urahara. Kisuke in return gave a nervous laugh.

"Ok, so humor is out. How about you take a seat Ulquiorra and we'll discuss why I've called everyone here."

"I'm not having any kind of discussion with him. He's an Espada…"

"Former Espada," Yoruichi cut in.

"Like that matters. He's still the enemy, or have you forgotten that he was the one that forced Inoue to go to Hueco Mundo. He's the reason everyone thought she was a traitor." Ichigo railed.

"Yes," Kisuke began uncomfortably, "Well sometimes it's necessary to overlook a few things if you want to move forward."

"So should we overlook the Shinigami that escorted Inoue from the Soul Society? They'd be dead if she hadn't rejected their injuries. Or how about all those people that lost their lives when he first appeared in Karakura Town?"

"Technically that was the other guy…" Kisuke started, but was cut off.

"Don't give me that crap! He's just as guilty." Ichigo yelled.

"Look we can argue this all day, or we could just hear what he has to say." Uryu interjected.

"I can't believe you of all people want to listen to this. _He_," Kurosaki pointed at him, "cut off your hand."

"And _you_ impaled him with your zanpakuto." Ulquiorra couldn't help but remind the teen.

Ichigo started across the table to grab him when Yoruichi's hand shot out to stop him.

"Enough boys," she said forcibly. "For the time being we need to leave the past in the past, and focus on the present."

"He doesn't belong in our present." Kurosaki complained.

"Whether you want him here or not is beside the point." Urahara spoke up. "Due to Orihime's actions he is now a big part of our present."

"That doesn't make sense. Why is he our problem?"

"Because Inoue brought him back," Ishida started. "And as if that wasn't enough she changed him from hollow to human. Did you not stop to think that that was going to present a problem?"

Ichigo stared at the Quincy. "I was kind of busy. And besides, that still doesn't answer why it presents a problem?"

"The Soul Society doesn't like people to mess with the balance between the worlds. That was why they came after the Quinces." Uryu stated coldly.

"So now you think they're going to come after Inoue? She just destroyed the Hogyoku. Wouldn't they want to give her a medal or something?" Kurosaki asked.

"Her powers are becoming a dangerous unknown." Kisuke said. "If the Soul Society finds out about Ulquiorra, they may decide her part in ending the Winter War does not justify keeping her alive."

"They'd have to go through me." Ichigo said heatedly.

"None of us present would let that happen, but sometimes the best course of action is preventative in nature."

"Huh?"

"He means we shouldn't let Soul Society find out what she did." Ishida said.

"Exactly," Kisuke agreed.

"And how are we going to do that?" Kurosaki said. "Don't you think they're going to find it a little coincidental that he looks just like the Fourth Espada?"

"The question is how many Shinigami can identify him as an Arrancar?" Urahara asked.

"Don't they have like a most wanted list? They must know what the Espada look like?" Ichigo asked.

"Did any of you when you went to Hueco Mundo?" Kisuke returned.

"Well we knew about him, and Grimmjow." Kurosaki said, "So if we knew about them wouldn't the others?"

"The Soul Society has been overwhelmed since Aizen left. The only contact Ulquiorra had with Shinigami were you, Yoruichi, and myself."

"Don't forget Rukia. She was there when Grimmjow and I fought. So was Shinji."

"Shinji won't talk." Yoruichi said.

"And Rukia wouldn't do anything that would harm Orihime." Ishida added.

"Ok, so let's just say that the Soul Society doesn't know what he looks like and they assume that all the Espada were killed, I still don't get why you called us here." Kurosaki said.

"Please sit down and I'll explain." Kisuke said.

Ichigo resumed his former place and Ulquiorra sat across the table from him.

"Everybody comfy?" Urahara asked.

"Get on with it already!" Kurosaki yelled.

Kisuke coughed. "Alright then, as we determined earlier Ulquiorra's status as human presents a problem only if the Soul Society finds out. Our job is to make sure that they don't."

"And how are you going to do that?" Ichigo asked.

"Well," Urahara coughed again, "We get him to blend in with all the other teenagers in Karakura Town."

Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest and asked with irritation in his voice, "How are you going to do that? He sticks out like a sore thumb."

"That may be true now, but with you three giving him pointers, he'll fit in at your school in no time at all."

"What!" all three boys said in unison.

"You're joking right?" Ishida asked.

"He can't go to our school." Kurosaki stated.

"I have to agree." Ulquiorra interrupted. "I find this idea to be utterly absurd."

"Now come on, you haven't even heard me out yet." Urahara whined.

"We don't have to; he's right it's ridiculous." Ishida commented.

"Look, he's already human. High school is the next logical step in staying inconspicuous. If he lives a normal teenage life, the Soul Society will have no reason to notice him."

"Maybe you haven't noticed but our school is crawling with Shinigami at some of the most inconvenient times." Ichigo said.

"And they definitely don't blend in." Uryu said.

"One of them is bound to notice him" Sado added.

"We already established that Rukia would be the only Shinigami that may recognize him." Urahara reminded them.

"What about his spiritual pressure? Its high for a human. Don't you think that might cause some unwanted interest?" Ishida asked.

"What are you talking about?" Kurosaki asked.

"You can't sense it?" Uryu asked obviously annoyed. "It's different from when he was an Arrancar, but it's still greater than that of most humans."

"Honestly," Yoruichi interrupted, "At this level no one in the Soul Society is really going to be concerned. It's not that much higher than some of your friends from school."

"See." Kisuke said excitedly, "There's no reason he can't go."

"Other than the fact that I do not want to." Ulquiorra stated.

"You and every other kid at some point in their lives. See, you're already fitting in!" Urahara teased.

"I refuse." Ulquiorra said.

"I thought you said that you would keep Orihime safe from the Soul Society."

"Not by joining her friends at high school."

"I have to agree with him," Ichigo said irritably, "This plan sucks."

"What plan are you guys talking about?" A female voice asked from the doorway.

All eyes turned to find Orihime standing there oblivious to what was going on around her. Ishida was the first to his feet.

He rushed over to her and said, "Inoue, it's so good to see you up and about."

"Thank you Ishida-kun. I admit I was a little confused when I woke up here, in my own pajamas none the less, like it was my own home or something, but its not; unless my landlord evicted me while I was in Hueco Mundo. Oh, I hope that's not what happened…"

"Inoue, slow down. No one evicted you. It was just easier to bring you here and leave you in the care of Yoruichi and Urahara until you recovered." Uryu said.

"Oh that makes sense." She said with a blush. "And I see that you made it out alright." She grabbed the hand that she had healed and continued, "Your hand looks good as new."

Ulquiorra couldn't help but notice the Quincy blush at Orihime's attention.

"My hand is fine thanks to you." He stammered.

Oblivious to his discomfort Inoue released his hand and turned her attention to Ichigo.

"Kurosaki-kun," she said excitedly.

"Hey Inoue," the teen replied. "You look rested."

"I feel great; ready to take on the world, or at least all the work I'll need to make up at school." She replied.

There was a slight awkwardness in her speech, and he remembered then that she harbored feelings for the young Shinigami. It was obvious to him that those feelings had not diminished even after all that had occurred in Hueco Mundo.

She turned her attention to Yasutora. A huge smile on her face she cried, "Oh Sado-kun, I'm so glad that you're alive. I knew you wouldn't die, but I was still so afraid for you."

"I was pretty beat up, but Captain Unohana took care of everything." He said.

She nodded at him and smiled. "I'm glad she was there. I wanted to help you, but I couldn't…"

Her words stopped mid sentence as she finally noticed Ulquiorra seated at the table with her friends. As her eyes met his she brought her hand to her mouth and gasped. He wasn't sure whether to expect her to scream in fright or yell at him for being there. She surprised him when tears began to stream down her face instead. She moved over to where he was and knelt down beside him.

"You're alive." She whispered astonished. "I tried to heal you, I did, but I was too weak and there was so much blood, and I couldn't make it stop…"

She choked on a sob and had to stop. Rubbing the tears from her eyes, she caught her breath and said, "Aizen, he…"

"It is over. Aizen is dead." He said stoically.

"But how did you get here? How did you survive?" she asked.

"Urahara and Shihoin brought me back here."

"Your injury," she began. Reaching out her hand she lightly touched the area of his chest wrapped in bandages. "It must still pain you greatly. I could heal it…"

He grabbed her hand and pushed it away from his chest. "You have been asleep for four days. It would be unwise to push yourself at this point over an injury that is healing fine without your help."

His words sounded harsh to even his ears, but it was all she seemed to understand at times. She always put the needs of others before her own. He was not going to play a part in allowing her to do that.

"You don't have to talk to her like that." Ichigo yelled from across the table. "She's just trying to help."

"If she had left me as an Arrancar, Aizen's blade would never have cut me." He shot back. The words had the desired effect and Kurosaki tried to leap across the table once more. This time it was Ishida who stopped him.

"Cool it Ichigo." He said.

Ichigo brushed him off and said angrily, "Remind me again why we're trying to help this guy."

"Help Ulquiorra?" Inoue asked.

"Urahara wants us to help him fit in. He wants him to go to Karakura High School with us." Ichigo stated.

Orihime stared at Kurosaki for a moment. Suddenly her shoulders started to hitch. Ulquiorra wondered if she was crying again. Burying her face in her hands she started to sob hysterically, or so he thought at first.

It took a moment before he realized that she wasn't crying at all. She was laughing. She calmed down slightly and lifted her head to look at him and ended up bursting out into laughter again.

"I'm sorry," she said as soon as she could catch her breath. "It's just that the idea of you in school, with us…"

She had to stop as she started to laugh again. Tears streamed down her face and she grabbed her sides in an attempt to contain herself. She must be crazy, he thought to himself. No sane person would act this way. Yet when he looked up at the other teens they just sat patiently waiting for her to finish. Obviously this behavior was quite common on her end.

After a while she settled down again. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand she said, "It's just so silly… are you sure that Urahara isn't just pulling your leg?"

"He's very serious." Ulquiorra said.

"He wants you to go to high school."

"That is the plan he proposed." He replied.

She started to giggle, but stopped herself from losing control again.

"Why?" she finally squeaked out.

"He thinks it will help him blend in and keep out of the Soul Society's prying eyes." Kurosaki interjected. "Like I said earlier the plan sucks."

She seemed to sober up at that and looking at him asked, "Why would you need to hide from the Soul Society."

"Maybe because he used to be an Espada and was on the side with the bad guys that were trying to destroy the Soul Society as well as Karakura Town." Ichigo said before he had a chance to speak.

"It would only be natural for them to kill me if they knew I was alive." He added.

"So if you go to high school with us they won't notice you?"

"That is what Urahara seems to believe." He stated.

"Because with a uniform and all you would look like everyone else. And you already know us, and we could introduce you to all of our friends." She smiled and nodded as if it all suddenly made sense. "And then maybe you could join a club – not the Handy Crafts with Ishida-kun and me – but maybe the Martial Arts club since you're a good fighter…"

"See it makes perfect sense to Orihime." Urahara piped in.

"Of course it does." Ishida spoke up. "This and every other crazy plan you've ever subjected us to."

"And they all worked out just fine…"Urahara began, but Ichigo cut him off.

"You're kidding right? I don't recall any plan that has ever gone as you told us it would. But then again you have a habit of not completely telling the truth."

"Now Ichigo I only leave out the things that would be too confusing…"

"Like hiding the Hogyoku inside of Rukia."

"Even if I had told you about that you still would have gone to Soul Society to rescue her."

"It would have been a hell of a lot easier if we had had a little more information." Kurosaki yelled.

"Well this time I'm being completely honest. What you see is what you get. So come on Ichigo, how about you at least try."

"It's never going to work." Kurosaki said.

"You'll never know until you try." Kisuke replied.

"He's right Ichigo." Sado spoke up.

"What? You can't be serious Chad." Kurosaki said.

"Think about it Ichigo. Inoue is the one that he kidnapped. If she agrees to this plan then we should as well." The teen replied.

All eyes turned to Orihime. She blushed at the sudden attention and said, "I don't think it's such a bad idea. We should at least try." She then looked to Uryu. "How about you Ishida-kun, do you think we should try it."

The Quincy pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and said, "I'll go along with it as long as you're comfortable with it."

She smiled brightly at his response. She then turned to Ichigo. "Kurosaki-kun?" she asked,

Ichigo suddenly looked uncomfortable. "This is going to be worse then the time when Matsumoto showed up at school."

Ulquiorra noticed that all three boys turn red at Kurosaki's remark.

Ishida shifted and said, "Nothing could be worse than that. He couldn't draw that kind of attention if he tried."

Kurosaki looked at Ulquiorra and said, "It really doesn't matter what we say does it? Ultimately you have to agree to it."

Ulquiorra could not think of one reason to agree to this foolishness. Throwing himself into the day to day life of these teens would be excruciating. He was used to fighting for his existence. Every move was calculated. He had to stay one step ahead if he was going to survive. Life as a teenager would surely turn his mind to complete mush.

Orihime turned to him and placed her hand gently on his arm. "What do you think?"

He just stared blankly at her.

"You said yourself that you were taking an interest in us. This could be a great adventure. What better way to learn about a group of people than to live as one of them." Orihime continued. With a smile she said, "And after living in Hueco Mundo it's got to be a welcome break; none of the backstabbing, petty jealousy, or worrying about someone trying to move ahead of you or take your rank."

"Inoue, all of that stuff goes on at school as well." Ishida stated.

She laughed and said, "Ishida-kun is just joking. High school is full of fun and friends. You'll see."

"I don't require fun or friends." He replied.

"You say that now, but you'll change your mind once you start."

"No I won't."

She scrunched up her face at his curt reply and then her eyes grew big. "I get it; you're just worried that you won't make any friends."

"No I'm not."

"It's ok Ulquiorra-san." She continued seemingly oblivious to his protests. "You don't have to be afraid…"

"I am not afraid woman!" he stated a little louder than he intended to.

"Really you have me and Ishida-kun, and…"

He stood abruptly. "This is ridiculous."

"Well if he's too afraid to try," Kurosaki started, "I guess you'll just have to come up with another plan Urahara."

"I am not afraid to face the mundane life you people live everyday."

"Then prove it." Kurosaki said with a smirk on his face.

"You think I am not up to the challenge?" Ulquiorra asked.

This caused Ichigo to laugh. "You won't last a day."

He stared at the teen for a moment. It was obvious that he was baiting him, yet he found it hard to back away from the confrontation. He could not explain why, but he felt an overwhelming need to take Kurosaki down a peg or two.

"I think you will be surprised." He stated simply.

"Then you'll go?" Orihime interjected.

"As you said earlier, if I could survive living amongst the Espada, I can survive high school."

This brought a huge smile to Inoue's face. Clasping her hands together she said excitedly. "Oh this is going to be so interesting. Of course you'll need a uniform, and a book bag. And you'll need to register for classes as well as…"

"Don't worry about it Orihime, I have everything under control." Urahara smiled.

"I'm sure you do." Ishida said.

"Yeah, so you don't need us hanging around any more." Kurosaki added.

"Actually it would probably be best if you three left." Yoruichi stated. "Ulquiorra is still recovering, and Orihime will need to freshen up before she heads home."

"Home," Inoue said in a dreamy voice. "It's been so long. I just hope Hitsugaya and Rangiku put out the trash before they went back to the Soul Society or else my apartment is really going to smell."

"Your apartment is fine." Shihoin said. "I've been there recently to get you some clothes and other things you may need."

"Oh wow, I can't wait to get into my own clothes again. I don't think I'll ever want to wear a white dress again as long as I live. Well I guess when I get married, but only then." Inoue said in a rush.

She then turned to look at Ulquiorra. Smiling she said, "You must feel sort of the same way, huh? I mean it had to get tiring wearing the same thing every day."

He thought of the draw string pants that he had been wearing since he arrived. "I suppose that I will require more than this if I am to fit into your society." He replied.

Kurosaki, who was preparing to leave, turned and said, "One piece of advice; don't let Urahara pick out your clothes. He's not quite up with the current trends."

"That's the truth." Ishida said as he walked towards the door.

"Hey, I just have a very unique fashion sense." Urahara protested.

"Well if you want him to fit in you'd better have someone else do the shopping." Ichigo said. Waving his hand he continued, "I'm out of here."

"See you guys at school." Orihime yelled cheerfully after them.

He stared at her as she watched her friends leave. She was so different around them. Her cheerfulness was something that he had tried to destroy in Hueco Mundo, but she had managed to walk away from the experience with her disposition still intact. What surprised him more was her willingness to share her joy with him as well. She should have been angry; using this sudden reversal of fortunes to make him miserable. But she acted as if her imprisonment had never happened. Her actions were perplexing. Somehow though, he believed that no amount of time spent among the living was going to bring him any closer to figuring her out.

* * *

Orihime sat silently at the table eating the meal that had been prepared for her and Ulquiorra. Neither of them had spoken much since her friends had left earlier. She could tell that he was tired and she knew better than to bother someone when they weren't feeling well.

Still the silence was killing her. She had gone for so long with no one but him for company that she had somehow gotten used to his presence in her life. It was strange to be doing something as ordinary as sharing a meal after all they had been through.

Careful not to catch his eye, she snuck a peek at him while he ate. He was as meticulous with his meal as he was with all his other actions. She couldn't help but smile. He was a strange one. She wondered if she would ever truly understand him, but it would be interesting to try.

"Does my eating humor you?" He asked.

She jumped at the sound of his voice. Her cheeks burned from the embarrassment of being caught staring at him.

"What? Oh no, not at all. I mean it's actually kind of ironic, the two of us sharing a meal together, you know, without either having to force the other to eat."

He stared at her for a moment and then said, "This human body requires nourishment. It would be foolish of me to deny it the sustenance it needs to survive."

"I guess if you put it that way…" she began and then grew silent.

"Did you expect me not to eat due to my displeasure over the current state I find myself in?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Does it bother you?"

"The fact that I am alive? Why should that upset me?" He asked.

"No, but all the Espada are gone. And I know you were mad about being human. And then those things that Aizen said…"

"His words are unimportant. They were meant to unsettle me. It was just another test on his part."

"Do you believe that he could have hollowfied you again?" she whispered.

"Aizen-sama said what he believed I would want to hear. I understood that his words held no truth."

"Oh," she said and grew quiet once more.

Again they ate in silence until at last he said, "I have survived as long as I have by learning to adapt."

"That's true," she said and smiled. And then thinking about Urahara's plans she said, "You'll be fine at school, you'll see."

He gave no response.

Feeling a slight bit awkward she said, "So Yoruichi told me that Urahara-san is fixing you a room here, so you'll have a place to stay."

"This is true."

"I almost envy you," she said with a sigh. "This place is so full of excitement. Living by myself can get kind of lonely at times."

"I think I would prefer to be alone." He replied.

It was at that point that Urahara stuck his head through the doorway and said, "We cleared out a place for you. If you kids are done, Yoruichi wants me to make sure that Ulquiorra gets some rest."

"Sure thing." She said and rose to her feet.

Ulquiorra stood as well. As he started towards the door she couldn't help but call out to him, "If I don't see you before I head home, I'll look for you at school."

He turned back and stared at her for a moment and gave a quick nod. With that he left. She sat back down and thought about how strange things had become. Though it was weird to have him here, she couldn't help but feel excited as well.

She had brought him back from ash with the intention of giving him a second chance at being human; at finding his heart. She still believed he would come around. Refusing Aizen before they left Hueco Mundo was the first step. Still she wasn't going to kid herself. The road before them was definitely going to be difficult, but she had faith that with her friends helping, Ulquiorra would find his way.

* * *

**A.N.** I hope this chapter has everyone more in character. I have been wondering if maybe I was being overly ambitious trying to write a Bleach fanfic. I was a little discouraged after some of the feedback, and even more discouraged by the lack of feedback. I don't know how this story is being recieved, so I don't know if people are enjoying it. Needless to say I decided to plow ahead and submit this chapter. Please let me know how you like it.

I am sruggling with the Japanese honorifics. I read up on them, but I still am not sure about when and how to use them correctly. If you know a good site (Bleach related would be even better) please let me know.

Also - the Shinigami at high school remark by Ichigo was for Kavyle - thanks for the reviews, they have been very helpful.


	6. Chapter 6

_I do not own bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

**

**Chapter 6 - Defiance**

Orihime paused outside the room where Ulquiorra was sleeping. She had showered and changed, and was about to head home, but she had one more thing that she wanted to do before she left Urahara's. Silently she opened the screen to the room and entered.

Kisuke had told her that the room used to be used for storage, but they had cleaned it out to make space for Ulquiorra. She imagined that Urahara was running out of room in the living quarters in the back of his shop. It seemed as all the misplaced 'people' ended up here. And now the former Fourth Espada would call it home as well.

The room itself was rather small. Urahara had managed to fit a desk and a bookshelf along a wall that housed the only window. A futon on the floor took up most of the remaining space. It was a tight fit, but at least it would be something that Ulquiorra could call his own.

She glanced at the futon. Ulquiorra lay sleeping. Yoruichi had told her about the complications from his injury; the pneumonia that had set in and was causing him to be so exhausted. She had offered to heal him, and he had refused. Stubborn, why did he have to be so stubborn? Her other friends would never have refused her help, but Ulquiorra was different. He didn't want her help. He had pushed her away, and she had to admit that to some degree his rejection of her abilities hurt her feelings. Maybe he was still angry about what she did to him in Hueco Mundo, or maybe it made him feel weak to rely on her for help. Either way she knew what she had to do, and quite frankly she didn't want to dwell on how he would react when he woke up later.

Kneeling down beside the futon she took a good look at him. She had never seen him asleep before. It was odd to see him so vulnerable, but even in sleep she noticed that he wasn't relaxed or at peace. He wore a slight grimace on his face and she feared that his injury pained him even more than he had let on earlier. His breathing was slightly labored and she figured that even with the medication, he would still need a lot of time to fully recover.

Once again she thought about how stubborn he was being. To her it was pointless to suffer so if she could simply heal him. He would be mad, she understood that, but at that moment she didn't care. She had made up her mind when he had pushed her away earlier and she was not going to be swayed.

Reaching out she whispered, "Soten Kisshun, I reject."

The healing shield encompassed his body. She concentrated on what she was doing and prayed that he would not wake up and protest. Much to her relief he did not, and slowly she noticed his face relax and his breathing even out.

When she had finished she sat back on her heels and stared once more at him. She had stolen glances during their meal, but this was the first time that she had really gotten a good look at him since all the craziness in Las Noches.

His black hair, now freed of the confines of his hollow mask, lay loosely around his face. Now that he was human his skin tone had become slightly more healthy, not that chalky white that it had been before. Still he was pale, much more than anyone she knew, but she couldn't imagine him any different. And now that the tear tracks, as she had always thought they looked like, were gone, he looked like any other of the boys at school. Well almost; there was still something about him that set him apart, something she couldn't quite put her finger on, but it made him different.

"You know, he's not going to be happy when he wakes up and discovers that you healed him." Yoruichi said softly from behind her.

She couldn't help but jump at the woman's unexpected presence. Standing quickly she turned and said, "I couldn't let him suffer like that, especially when I could do something about it."

She had tried to sound confident, but under Yoruichi's penetrating stare she began to waver. Blushing she said, "He's just being pigheaded about the whole thing."

Yoruichi smiled slightly and responded, "I'd say he's not the only one who's stubborn. Honestly you surprise me, Orihime. Usually you seem so easy going. I've never known you to defy anybody before, and yet you disregard what Ulquiorra tells you without a moment's hesitation."

She looked down and remained silent at Yoruichi's observation. It was true, and though she didn't quite understand why, there was something about him that brought out her defiant nature.

Yoruichi chuckled softly. "Well, well, this could be very interesting. I almost wish I could go to high school just to see what happens."

She looked up at the woman questioningly. This caused Yoruichi to laugh even more.

"You know we should leave before he wakes up. As much as I want to see his reaction, I would rather get you safely home and settled."

Orihime nodded silently and followed Yoruichi out. As she closed the screen quietly behind her she reflected on what the woman had said to her. How would Ulquiorra react when he saw her at school? Hopefully he would be so happy to be free of his pain and discomfort that he would be grateful. That would be much more pleasant than him coming to school with a scowl on his face. He would never make any friends that way. Still Ichigo scowled a lot too, and he had plenty of friends. Ulquiorra would just have to find where he fit in.

* * *

_It had been nearly a week since his father had died. He had tried his best to keep his promise to the man by caring for his mother, but she was so caught up in her grief that the task had begun to overwhelm him. He prepared meals for her, but she refused to eat. He would get her to lie down at night, but he knew she barely slept. If she did not begin to respond to his efforts, he feared that she would soon die as well._

_Though he was a responsible child for his age, he was still young. The burden that had been placed upon him was beginning to take its toll. If his mother could not recover from her sorrow, it would fall on him alone to begin the springtime planting. Even working side by side with his father in the past, the task had been exhausting for both of them. He had no idea how he would do it on his own. If they could not get the fields planted they would soon starve. _

_The food in the bowl that he had prepared for her began to blur as tears once again welled up in his eyes. He struggled to keep them from falling. His eyes stung and his throat became tight from the effort. His chest hurt from the distress his current situation was causing him. He had to find a way to make her respond to him. He had to help her find her will to live again. Unfortunately his limited experience left him with few ideas or answers._

_Silently he walked over to where she sat and placed the bowl on the table beside her. Putting a smile on his face he said encouragingly, "I've made you something warm to eat. I think you'll like it. I used what was left of that special spice you like." _

_His mother remained still, staring quietly at nothing. Her eyes remained blank and expressionless._

"_Please," he pleaded with her, "Please eat mother."_

_If she heard him, she didn't show it. She remained passive, the food in front of her slowly growing cold._

"_Please mother, "he begged once more, "I can't do this anymore. I need you to eat. I promised father. I can't fail him."_

_He sat silently opposite her and buried his face in his hands. The tears that he had struggled to keep inside, spilled out and began to run down his palms, then his cheeks, and finally onto the floor. He sat like that for some time before he heard a forceful knock on the door. _

_Surprised that anyone had come out to their farm, he wiped his eyes and began to stand. His legs were stiff from kneeling so long and he worked out the kinks as he made his way slowly to the door. _

_Upon opening it he was met by an old woman. Something about her looked vaguely familiar, but he was sure that he had never seen her before. She stared at him and a look of disgust came over her face._

"_I am here to see your mother." She spat out._

"_She is not up for visitors at the moment." He said nervously. This woman scared him. She seemed so angry._

"_She will see me. I have come too far to be turned away by a child. Let me pass."_

_He stared at her for a moment and was about to say no, when she reached out and gave him a shove. He stumbled back and she entered their home._

"_You will learn quickly boy that no one stands against me. Your attempted defiance is pathetic and misplaced. Now where is your mother?"_

_Her words angered him. He was the master of this house now, and she could not just walk in uninvited. He glared back at her. _

"_You should not be here." He said._

_She took a step closer to him and grabbed his chin in her boney hands. He was surprised at her strength, and admittedly fearful of what she would do next._

"_You look just like him," she said with a hint of disgust in her voice, "but it is obvious that you are her son. She used to be just as rebellious. In the end her unruly nature was her undoing. If you have any brain in your head you will learn to quell your defiant nature before you end up just like her. Now where is she?"_

_She released him and he turned to where his mother sat. She followed his gaze and let out a disgusted sigh. _

"_Pathetic; I had raised you to be so much more than this."_

_Slowly she walked over to where his mother sat. Daisuke stood motionless in the doorway. The shock of what the old woman had just revealed to him had left him frozen in place. This was his grandmother. His parents rarely spoke of her. He knew that she had not been pleased by his mother's decision to marry his father, and had in fact disowned her. Yet here she was, the woman that had been the source of much pain and sorrow for his mother._

_His grandmother stood before his mother and stared at her. After a moment she drew back her hand and slapped his mother hard across the face. The unexpected blow sent his mother falling to the floor, and broke him of his paralysis. Rushing over to her side he embraced her. _

"_What kind of a monster are you?' He screamed. "You cannot just walk in here and treat her like that."_

"_Your mother is weak, and you coddling her will not help her grow strong. In fact if you wish to continue to treat her like some fragile doll, she will surely wither away and die."_

"_She needs care. I have to protect her." He cried out. _

"_You are a child. She should be protecting you." Kneeling down to where he sat holding his mother, his grandmother continued, "I am thoroughly disappointed in you Asako. You are a much stronger woman than this. You should never have left this child to care for himself."_

_His mother began to sob at the old woman's words. A gut wrenching noise began to escape from her throat and her body began to shake violently in his arms._

"_Mother," he whispered soothingly, "It's alright. I understand…"_

_His grandmother pulled his mother from his arms._

"_Get out of here child! You are killing her with you softness. She does not need sympathy. She requires something much more if she is to break free of her self pity and selfishness."_

_He rose to his feet angrily. "Don't speak of her like that…"_

_The old woman rose to her feet with a speed that astounded him. Reaching out she grabbed his arms in her hands and turning her fury on him said venomously, "Your mother has always looked out for her interests alone. She let herself be led by her heart and her emotions, and in the end it cost her everything. If she truly loved you she would stop this pathetic display and take up her responsibilities as your mother."_

_Tears of frustration began to fall from his eyes. The woman's words struck a painful cord with him. He had lain awake many nights thinking the exact same thing. But he knew it was wrong for him to feel like that. He knew she just needed time to pull herself together._

"_How old are you boy?" his grandmother asked._

"_Eight years this past winter." He responded in a strained voice._

"_I am ashamed for her." She whispered. Then in a much firmer voice she said, "People will always respond better to fear than kindness. As long as you treat her as something fragile she will always rely on you for her strength. If you want her to be strong then you will have to push her to her limits. Never accept weakness from anyone. Understand, boy?"_

_He was speechless at her words. It went against everything he had ever believed, and yet her actions had garnered an emotional response from his mother that all his love had failed to do. Overwhelmed by his discoveries he bowed his head._

_Releasing him his grandmother said, "Go outside and wait for me. We have much to discuss, but at the moment I need to speak to Asako alone."_

_He wanted to refuse, but honestly he was relieved that someone had come that could help him. Silently he left their home and waited outside in the late winter chill for his grandmother to come for him._

* * *

Ulquiorra awoke with a start as the memories of his former life played out in his sleep. He sat up quickly, panting heavily, his heart racing. He grabbed at his chest to quell the pain that had settled there when he was struck by something odd.

The pain that he had grown accustomed to over the past few days was gone. As his breathing evened out he noticed that the tightness in his chest had disappeared as well. No, he thought to himself, she wouldn't do such a thing. He had told her not to heal him, and he had expected her to listen to his command.

Frantically he began to unwrap the bandages from around his chest. Gently he reached out and touched the place where the wound should have been, but was only met with smooth flesh.

"Damn it!" he hissed.

She was such a hard headed woman. Why did she feel the need to defy him at every turn? This is what had disconcerted him in Las Noches. He had thought that if he resisted giving in to her emotional needs, made her to feel hopeless, that her defiance would eventually fade away. But this was evidence to the contrary.

He hated defiance. He expected absolute obedience from his underlings. He never tolerated insubordination from anyone. It was known in Las Noches that he was merciless in his dealings with others. He never let emotions cloud his judgment. Yet she threw his orders back in face every chance she could.

He thought back to Grimmjow taking her to heal Kurosaki. He still was pissed at himself for failing to kill the Sixth during their battle, but he was even more angry at her for using the situation to bring back her friend.

He gave her opportunity upon opportunity to bend to his will, and consequently Aizen's, but she stood firm in her resolve. He realized after only a few days in Hueco Mundo that she was not going to back down. He had misjudged her; thought he had broken her will, but she was stronger than he had first believed.

Why should she have changed now that they were in the World of the Living? In fact he should have known that she would be even more rebellious now that she was on familiar ground.

He sat there frustrated again by the situation he now found himself in. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and tried to calm his emotions. The memories of his grandmother combined with Inoue's insolence, had unsettled him. Once again he could feel himself losing control over his feelings. It was important to remain detached. He could not let others see that he was bothered; he could not let them see anything that could be perceived as weakness.

The silence was broken by a soft knock on the door, and then the opening of the screen. He turned and was met by a young girl with black hair. It was obvious that she was nervous to be there. She had probably hoped that he was still asleep.

"I'm so sorry to disturb you," she began. "Yoruichi-san told me to leave these clothes for you for when you woke up."

He stared at the items in her hands. The clothing seemed to be a similar material as those that Kurosaki was wearing earlier.

"It's just some jeans and a t-shirt." She stammered nervously. "Urahara-san said that he would have your uniform in time for school on Monday."

He remained silent as the girl walked over to the desk. "I'll just leave these here. There's soap and shampoo in the bathroom if you want to clean up a little."

"Where would this bathroom be?" he asked.

She jumped at the sound of his voice but responded, "Down the hall and on the right. I can show you if you wish."

He nodded at her and stood. Maybe he would be able to think a little more clearly after he had bathed. She led him quietly to the bathroom, and after showing how everything worked, left him.

He caught his reflection in the mirror. It was odd to see his face after so many years. He had honestly forgotten what he looked like as a human until Aizen had unmasked him.

"_You look just like him."_

His grandmother's words came back to him. Looking in the mirror it was clear that she had been correct. He looked very much like his father. Only his father never wore a frown. His face had always been carefree, at least until his illness had robbed him of even that.

Now as he gazed at his reflection, so much like his father's, but yet so different, he began to wonder who he really was anymore. The memories from his past gave him clues as to who he was before he became a hollow, but he had spent much more of his existence in Hueco Mundo. Trying to live as a human again seemed an impossible task.

Could he fit in with the humans at Karakura High School? Could he actually pull it off convincingly enough to keep the Soul Society away? He honestly didn't know. And a bigger part of him wondered why he should even care.

Yet the challenge of it all had sparked his interest. He had always been inquisitive, and the idea of proving to Kurosaki that he could fit in appealed to his competitive nature.

This would be no different than manipulating his brothers and sisters in Hueco Mundo. He would just have to be observant of the teens' behaviors, and use their insecurities and feelings to his advantage. He understood how to play games with people's emotions. If he truly applied himself, he could make this work. He would not fail in fitting in.

Turning away from the mirror he started the shower. As the water steamed the room he stripped off his clothes. Stepping into the hot water, he felt a lot of the tension from earlier begin to ease. The human body required so much attention and care; it was amazing how they survived. Still he had to admit that the feel of the water on his flesh felt good. The longer he let it beat on his back, the more control over his emotions he gained. His mind was stronger than his heart. He couldn't let himself forget that.

* * *

**A.N.** This chapter was originally supposed to be a part of the last chapter but that one ran longer than I thought it would. So I split them in two. This one was quick and easy to write, but I didn't want to post it until I had written most of chapter 7 just in case I needed to make changes.

I am not a big fan of whining, helpless Orihime, and one of the reasons I like this ship is because she doesn't really take too much crap from Ulquiorra. She is strong and confident. Unlike the blubbering mess she is around Ichigo. So this scene stems from that image. She's still flaky and timid to a degree, but she is more confident in dealing with him.

The backstory on Ulquiorra plays a big part in the story and I hope it explains his character and the changes that are to come.

Thank you to all who responded to the last chapter. I am glad it was well recieved. I am trying to finish chapter 7 before my break ends, but it has been difficult to write and I don'twant to submit it until I am happy with it.

Happy New Year to all. Hope 2010 brings you much happiness!


	7. Chapter 7

_I don't own Bleach or any of its characters_**

* * *

**

**Chapter 7 - School days**

Ulquiorra closed the door to Urahara's shop and stepped out into the cold morning air. He was dressed in the uniform that all the other boys at Karakura High School wore; gray slacks, white shirt, blue tie, and a sweater to keep him warm in the late autumn chill. It seemed he had traded one uniform for another, only this one was a great deal more restrictive than his hakama. He gripped the handle on his book bag tightly and turned to head to school only to be met by Uryu Ishida.

The Quincy pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and said, "Well at least Urahara can't mess up the uniform."

Ulquiorra gave Ishida a quick glance and said simply, "I suppose." They stood in silence for a moment until he asked, "Is there a reason you are here?"

The teen cleared his throat and said, "Kurosaki seemed pretty confident the other day that you weren't going to last through your first day of classes. I guess I just want to make sure you prove him wrong."

"I see." He replied.

Ishida began to walk and Ulquiorra followed. The continued for a few blocks before Ulquiorra asked, "I was under the impression that you and Kurosaki are friends."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Uryu replied.

"Yet you wish to see him fail."

"Not fail," he started, "I just want to see him eat a little crow."

His confusion must have been evident on his face because Ishida laughed and said, "It's an expression. It just means that I want to see him have to admit that he was wrong. His ego is really out of control. It would be nice to see him humbled a little."

This made sense to him. Kurosaki was confident to a fault. Whether that was good or bad was beside the point, but he could see how it could be annoying, especially to someone as competitive as Uryu.

They walked quietly for another block when Ishida asked, "So what do you really think about Urahara's plan?"

"I thought I made my feelings perfectly clear the other day." He replied.

"But you agreed to go along with it." Uryu said.

"No other option was given. For now I will do as Urahara wishes."

"You understand that Orihime has just as much to lose if the Soul Society discovers what happened? It is important that we make this work regardless what we believe." Ishida commented.

"I am well aware of the consequences for both of us should this plan fail to succeed." He replied.

"Good, because I don't want any harm to come to Orihime." Ishida said rather protectively.

"You should not fear so much for Inoue's safety. She is a strong woman. She can take care of herself." He replied.

Ishida stopped walking for a moment and stared at him. Ulquiorra paused as well and turning to the Quincy asked, "Do you not see her strength?"

Ishida blushed slightly and replied, "I know that she is powerful, but she's not like the rest of us; she's not a fighter. Her kind hearted nature tends to get her into trouble."

Ulquiorra understood that. He had used Orihime's love for her friends to persuade her to go to Hueco Mundo, yet just by agreeing to go she had demonstrated a great deal of courage. Walking into an unknown place that was filled with powerful enemies took a degree of bravery that he was sure many of her classmates did not posses.

They began to walk again when Ishida said, "You don't seem as stiff today. I guess your injury is healing pretty well."

He brought his free hand to his chest. With a slight frown on his face he said, "She used her powers to reject my injury."

"Inoue healed you?" Uryu asked with surprise in his voice. "So you changed your mind after we left?"

"No I did not." He replied curtly.

"Oh," Ishida replied. Ulquiorra couldn't help but notice a smile creep across the Quincy's face.

"You find her defiance funny?" he asked.

"Orihime, defiant, those are two words I would not normally associate together." He said. "She's usually very easy going."

"It would seem that you do not know her as well as you seem to believe." He replied.

Ishida's lighthearted mood changed instantly. "I know her a lot better than you. We have been through a lot together over the past year."

"It is because you have feelings for her." He stated.

"What are you talking about?"

"The reason my words anger you so. You have feelings for Inoue Orihime." He said.

"I … you don't know anything about me… Inoue is a good friend…" Ishida started but grew silent as he stumbled over his words.

"I see."

"You see? You see nothing. And besides it wouldn't matter anyway…"

"…because she has feelings for Kurosaki." He finished for Uryu.

"How many trips to the world of the living did it take you to figure that one out?" Ishida asked sarcastically.

"It was easy to deduce. In the end it made persuading her to come to Hueco Mundo very simple."

Uryu stopped walking and stared at him. Once again he halted and waited for the teen to speak.

"You know I am trying to put what happened in Hueco Mundo behind us for Inoue's sake, but when you say things like that it just reminds me of how unlike us you really are." He paused for a moment and then continued, "I hate to say it but Kurosaki may be right, you may not last a day, especially if you insist on saying crap like that."

"It is only the truth."

"Yeah, well sometimes it's better to just shut up and keep the truth to yourself." Ishida replied angrily.

He thought about that for a moment. He was not use to censoring himself. He was valued because of his ability to gather facts and present them back accurately to Aizen and his fellow Espadas. It would seem that humans did not value such honest observation.

"I suppose you have a point. I will take it into consideration when dealing with the students at school."

Uryu gave him an odd look, but seemed satisfied with his response. They continued walking once again until they came to the school. They hadn't gone that far when they ran into Kurosaki.

"Hey Ishida," Ichigo said.

"Kurosaki," Uryu replied.

"So here we are again." Kurosaki said. Then looking at Ulquiorra he continued, "You know you don't have to baby-sit him. After all he was sent to gather information for Aizen many times in the past. He should know how to find the school fine on his own."

Ishida glared at Kurosaki which only seemed to make the teen cockier.

"Of course it's understandable if you were worried that he'd somehow not show, or worse do something stupid before the school day even begins."

"You know Ichigo," Uryu began, "It's almost like you want to see him fail, but I don't think I need to remind you how dangerous that could be for Inoue."

"This plan is stupid. Besides it's not like I couldn't deal with the Soul Society if they got involved. After all we did take them on to rescue Rukia. This really wouldn't be any different." He replied confidently.

"Why does everything always have to be a fight for you? Why not just try to use your brain for once." Ishida replied.

"I am using my brain, and it's telling me that this plan of Urahara's is going to fail. Better that we have a backup plan when that happens."

"You're an idiot, you know that. Maybe we're all a little tired of fighting. Maybe it would be best for Inoue if we took a break from all the drama."

"Drama!" Kurosaki exclaimed.

He was about to say something more when a teen came running towards them arms flailing and yelling loudly.

"I-chi-go you're back."

Ichigo stepped to the side just as the teen reached him, sending him sprawling onto the concrete.

"Asano, don't be such an idiot." Kurosaki said seemingly unaffected by the teen's actions.

The boy sat up. His face was scratched from where he made contact with the pavement. Crying out he said, "How can you be so cruel. Here I am welcoming you back after yet another one of your strange disappearances, and you brush me aside."

"I'd say I wasn't gone long enough."

Asano rose to his feet. Wiping his nose on his sleeve he continued whining. "You wouldn't say that if you knew what I've been through while you guys have been away."

"Too many video games, karaoke, and role playing games for you to handle," Ishida remarked.

"Role playing would have been a welcome relief compared to what Urahara-san had us doing." He said anxiously.

"Urahara-san; how do you know him?" Ishida asked.

"Arisawa had us follow Ichigo before you guys left. After you went through that big black hole Urahara found us." Asano said in a rush. He paused to catch his breath before rambling on again. "Man that guy is insane. He had us running all over Karakura town fighting off those hollow monster things."

Ishida turned white at Asano's remarks, but Kurosaki just sighed and said, "You know Asano if you continue to tell stories like that people are going to think you're crazier than you are."

"Stories!" Asano said indignantly. "You know I'm not making this shit up. And just a warning, Arisawa is really pissed at you. I would watch my back if I were you Ichigo."

"I can handle Tatsuki." Kurosaki said.

Asano turned towards Ulquiorra, noticing him for the first time. "Hey what's with this guy?"

"He's new." Kurosaki said.

"Yeah, well how come if he's new he's already hanging with you." Asano complained.

"He doesn't talk much. It's kind of a nice trait. You should try it." Ichigo said.

Asano took a step closer to Ulquiorra. He stared at him closely and then said, "Why is it that every time you disappear for any length of time, we end up with a new classmate?" Whispering loud enough for them all to hear he asked, "He's not one of those Shinigami guys is he? 'Cos I'm not taking in any one after Ikkaku and Ayasegawa."

"There you go with all that crazy talk. Really Asano you should see someone about that condition."

Asano began to sputter out nonsensical sounds at Ichigo's remark.

"Look I don't really want to be late on my first day back." Waving as he walked away he simply said, "Later."

Ishida turned to Ulquiorra and said, "We should go as well."

Asano seemed to gain control over himself again. Turning his attention back to Ulquiorra he said conspiratorially, "A piece of advice; if you want to be popular don't associate with Ishida too much."

He gave the teen a questioning look. This only seemed to spur Asano on.

"He's all about studying and getting good grades."

"Isn't that the purpose of school?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Augh! He's already gotten to you. And no, high school is about having fun. It's our last bastion of irresponsible living before we are forced into the adult world."

"Wow, those are some pretty big words there Asano." Ishida remarked. "Don't tax yourself too much. The school day hasn't even begun."

"Hey, I don't have to be ranked number one to have a good vocabulary!"

"What do you mean by ranked number one?" Ulquiorra asked; the conversation had finally become interesting.

"The Honor Roll. Ishida's number one."

"So he is the highest ranking student in the school?"

"Highest ranking geek! I mean what good are those grades if you never have any fun?"

"Getting into the best university for starters." Ishida replied irritably.

Ulquiorra continued on ignoring Ishida's comment. "So are all the students here ranked?"

"Just the top fifty. Geez you haven't even gone to class yet and you're worried about the honor roll?"

"Is Kurosaki on this list?"

"Yes, the traitor," Asano said. "He's twenty-third."

"Interesting," he said to himself.

"Interesting," Asano said obviously let down by his interest in learning. "Well I've got no reason to stay here with you two. Hey," he said with excitement in his voice, "It's Inoue-san. She's back! Ah how nice it is to see her big, beautiful…"

Ishida smacked him upside the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" Asano whined.

"You better watch what you say about Inoue." Ishida said heatedly.

"I was just going to say eyes. Her big, beautiful eyes. I don't know where your mind was going Ishida." Asano said.

Ulquiorra took a step towards Asano. Glaring at him he said, "I have known people like you before. You say one thing but imply another."

"I'm not implying anything." Asano stammered.

"You will not speak about her in such a way again or I will have to hurt you."

Asano threw up his hands in surrender. "Ok, whatever you say." Backing away he continued, "You know I think I'm just going to head to class…" the teen said as he backed away. Turning he began to run.

"Just a quick observation." Ishida began. "Asano is not typical of most of the students here, and no one will bat an eye if you push him around, but you may want to go easy on the intimidation. It's a little extreme."

Ulquiorra couldn't help but sigh. "Things were a lot easier in Las Noches. If someone annoyed you you could just kill them."

"Well as annoying as Asano is you'll just have to learn to tolerate him." Ishida said. Then turning in the direction Inoue was coming said, "Inoue-san, good morning."

"Ishida-kun, Ulquiorra-san," she said.

She had a smile on her face and for a moment he feared that she would burst into laughter like she did the other day. Instead she remained in control, and after looking him over said, "Wow, that uniform unexpectedly suits you."

That comment though seemed to break her self control. She began to giggle and then laugh wholeheartedly. Ishida looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Am I missing something?" Uryu asked.

"She is simply making fun of a similar comment I made to her in Las Noches." Ulquiorra said. "I see that I am a source of great amusement for you."

"I'm sorry. It just popped in my head, and before I could stop myself it jumped out. Really, it does look good on you."

"As did the dress on you," He replied.

This stopped her laughter and caused her face to turn a brilliant shade of red.

"Well, I feel a little awkward." Uryu commented.

Turning to her friend Orihime said, "Oh Ishida-kun, your outfits are always spectacular."

"That's not quite what I meant, but thank you anyways Inoue-san." He replied.

She nodded and smiled at Ishida's response and then turning to Ulquiorra she asked, "So you are feeling better today?"

He couldn't help but still feel anger over her disregard for his wishes the other day. "I am sure you are quite well aware of how I am doing physically."

Her expression grew concerned and she said nervously, "You're angry aren't you?"

"I explicitly told you not to heal me and yet as soon as I was asleep you snuck in my room and did it anyway."

Now it was Ishida's turn to blush. "Honestly, this is really awkward."

"Maybe it would best if we talk in private. I have a few things to say to Inoue and I am sure you want to get on to class." Ulquiorra said.

"I don't know if I should leave you two alone…" Uryu began.

"It's ok Ishida-kun." Orihime said. "I don't want you to be late."

Uryu looked torn as to what to do.

"You do not have to worry. I will not harm the woman." He said.

"Somehow that doesn't reassure me." Ishida said.

Placing her hand on Uryu's arm, Orihime said gently, "Really Ishida-kun, I'll be fine. Ulquiorra has never hurt me before."

She had a way of glossing over the facts, but he wasn't going to comment about that. It was obvious though that Ishida was thinking the same thing, yet something in her gaze caused the teen to capitulate.

"Alright, just don't be too long. You don't want to be late on your first day back."

She nodded again and smiled. Ishida shot him a look as he passed, but continued on to class.

Inoue turned her attention back to Ulquiorra, her expression hopeful.

Still angry he said, "You should know not to go against my commands."

"We're not in Hueco Mundo anymore. You're not in charge of me. I can do as I want." She replied obviously angered by his words.

He returned her statement with a stare. She tried to hold her own against him, but eventually she looked down.

After a moment she said softly, "I just wanted to help. I couldn't heal you in Las Noches and you almost died."

"It is because of that that I forbid you healing me. You couldn't reject my injury because you had exhausted yourself."

"But I was rested." She countered.

"It took you four days to recover your strength. You could have done yourself even greater harm."

This brought a smile to her face and she said, "You were concerned for me?"

He stiffened at her question. Concern never fueled his actions in the past. He had given up caring for other people's needs a long time ago.

"You are placing more value in my words than was meant."

With a dreamy look on her face she said, "You were being kind."

"I was doing no such thing," he responded uncomfortable with her train of thought. "If something were to happen to you, Urahara would have no reason to protect me from the Soul Society."

She eyed him skeptically. "Urahara-san would never do that, but if you want to use that as your excuse then I won't say anything different."

"I do not rely on excuses."

A bell began to ring across the school yard and Inoue jumped. Panicked she said, "Oh no we're gonna be late!" Grabbing his hand she began to run. "We need to hurry. Maybe if we're not too late Sensei won't be angry. After all it is your first day. She'll go easy on you."

Inoue tore through the halls, stopping long enough to trade out her shoes at her locker. Stopping outside the door to their classroom she paused and took a deep breath.

Turning to him she said, "I'm sure everything will be fine."

She opened the door and walked in the room with him following closely behind. He couldn't help but notice the room grow silent as they entered.

From her place at the front of the room the teacher called out to Inoue. "Have you forgotten the starting time for school while you were away Orihime?"

He stepped forward and gave a bow. Holding out the paper that Urahara had given him that morning he said, "I apologize. It was my fault Sensei. Inoue-san was just helping me find my way to class."

The teacher walked over to them and took the paper from him. "So you are my new student." Walking back to her desk she said absently, "Maybe you'll last a little longer than my previous transfer students." She then looked up and said, "Inoue you can find your desk."

"Thank you Sensei." She said and walked away.

"Alright," she continued with her eyes on him. "Why don't you introduce yourself to the class?"

He turned and faced the students. "I am Ulquiorra Cifer."

"Yes." The teacher said. "Is there anything else you would like to share with us, your family, hobbies, clubs you may be interested in…"

He looked at her and then back at the class. "I don't really have a family." This brought a few sighs from some of the girls. He paused and then said, "I am living with my guardian. And though I have no real hobbies, I was told by a friend that I should join the Karate Club because I'm a pretty good fighter."

This elicited a gasp from Asano, who was slouched over in his seat.

"Well then you should talk with Tatsuki after class. She's our resident black belt and one of the best in the entire school."

"Thank you Sensei." He said. Tatsuki was the same person that Asano had warned Kurosaki about earlier. This could get very interesting.

"Why don't you take a seat over there?" She pointed to the empty seat next to Ichigo. "I'm sure Ichigo will help you if you have any questions."

She then turned back to the board and continued the lesson.

* * *

Orihime sat daydreaming at her desk. She knew she should be focusing on the lesson, but her mind kept going back to her conversation earlier with Ulquiorra. She would never have guessed the reason why he had refused her help was out of concern for her safety. Oh he could try to deny it, but she knew that he lying.

She glanced over at him. He was engrossed in the lesson, or at least it looked like he was. His expression was so serious that she almost felt another case of the giggles come on her. Suppressing them she looked away. As she looked around the room she noticed that many of the girls in the class were stealing glances at him as well.

She looked back at him with wonder. Did they all find him cute? This caused her to take a more critical look. With his dark hair and green eyes, she supposed that he could be considered attractive. Definitely the green eyes; you didn't see eyes like that every day. Almost like having orange hair.

This caused her to turn her attention to Ichigo. He was so different than Ulquiorra. As far as looks went they were like night and day, but the same could be said about their temperaments. Ichigo was so hot headed and emotional. He wasn't afraid to show how he felt, where as Ulquiorra kept everything hidden. He was so controlled and unemotional.

She thought back to the time when she lost control of her anger and slapped him. He had held back, she knew it. Any of the other Espada would have punished her severely, she understood that. But he had simply walked away.

Still she had sensed the anger there, just below the surface. She knew he worked hard to keep his detached appearance, but she saw cracks in that armor. He had shown it in front of Aizen when he refused to kill her, and then again today when he had voiced his concern for her well being.

Once again she shifted her focus to Ulquiorra. He was still following the lesson, as should she, but she couldn't get her head into it. With her head resting in her hand she sighed. What was wrong with her?

Suddenly Ulquiorra's gaze changed. He barely moved his head, but his eyes shifted her way. She jumped slightly and looked away, embarrassed to be caught staring. Facing forward she tried to look like she was listening to the teacher, but it was hard to hear her over the loud thumping of her heart.

Eventually she was able to calm down. Before long the lesson was over. The morning seemed to fly by and as they broke for lunch, Tatsuki made her way to Orihime's desk.

"What's the deal with that new guy?" she asked.

"Huh?" she asked.

"He looks real familiar. Somehow I know I've seen him before, but how can that be?"

Orihime hadn't thought about that. Tatsuki had been at the park that day when Ulquiorra had first appeared in Karakura town. If she remembered him it could be disastrous for all of them.

"He must just have a familiar face." She said nervously.

"No, that's not it. Augh, this is going to drive me nuts until I figure it out."

"Maybe you should just forget about it for now. We haven't had much time to talk since I got back."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, and believe me we have a lot to talk about."

"Then let's go." She replied enthusiastically. Pushing Tatsuki to the door she said, "How about we go outside?"

"It's a little cold don't you think?"

"Really," she said scratching her head. "I think it's refreshing."

"Only you," Tatsuki said. "Fine let's go."

She smiled, relieved that for now she had averted catastrophe. Still how long could she keep her friend distracted before she discovered the truth, and when she did, how would she keep her from killing Ulquiorra?


	8. Chapter 8

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._

* * *

**Chapter 8 ~ Some Resolutions**

They sat atop the roof of the school the following day eating their lunch. Though Kurosaki acted like he did not care for Asano, the teen seemed to show up every where they went. He had joined them along with another teen named Kojima, Yasutora, and Ishida.

The day was unseasonably warm and many students had taken to the outdoors. Inoue, he noticed had escaped quickly from their classroom with her friend, whom he had discovered was this Tatsuki that Asano had mentioned the day before. He had the distinct impression that she was trying to ignore him, and he wondered if their conversation before school yesterday had made her uncomfortable.

"…honestly I don't get it Cifer." Asano said.

Ulquiorra looked up at the teen. He had tuned out most of what he said, but somehow the conversation had shifted back to him.

"What would that be?" he asked.

"All the girls; I mean it's your second day of classes and they're falling all over themselves to get to you before and after class." He complained.

"It's because you try too hard Keigo." Kojima interrupted. "Cifer-san shows absolutely no interest. That drives girls crazy. Maybe if you were a little more distant, they would come to you."

"He could put an ocean between himself and the girls here and it wouldn't be enough." Kurosaki said.

"Speak for yourself Ichigo. At least I try, and besides girls love a guy with charisma." Asano replied.

"You know they have medication for the charisma you have." Uryu commented.

"I wouldn't be so smug if I were you Ishida. At least I have an interest in girls." Asano shot back.

"I don't have to make an ass of myself at every opportunity to show my interest." Ishida said irritably.

"Is this type of inane conversation typical for all of you?" Ulquiorra interrupted.

"What else is there to discuss?" Asano said obviously flabbergasted by his remark. "At least we're trying to have a conversation. Besides what could be more important to talk about than girls?"

He just stared at the teen. Asano backed away slightly. Finding his courage again at a safer distance he continued, "And speaking of girls, what was with you showing up with Inoue yesterday for class? Kind off setting your sights a little high wouldn't you say?"

"As I mentioned yesterday, she was helping me find my way to class."

"Yes good try at that, but even if you were interested she's pretty much untouchable. You've got to be on Tatsuki's good side to even get close to her, and then there's fighting off Chizuru at every turn…"

"Geez just shut up already Keigo. He's not interested in Inoue, and I seriously doubt she would be interested in him." Kurosaki cut him off.

"Is that so?" Ulquiorra asked in retort.

"Yeah I'd pretty much say you have no chance with her." Ichigo shot back with a glare.

"I don't know Ichigo," Kojima interrupted, "They've actually got some kind of chemistry. I could feel it yesterday."

"Maybe what you were feeling was you're breakfast disagreeing with you." Kurosaki shot back.

Kojima just smiled in return. Ulquiorra didn't think the conversation could have turned any more absurd, but they had proved him wrong. He stood and stretched. Looking at the group of teens he said, "Shouldn't we be getting back to class?"

"You go on ahead teacher's pet." Asano started. "I'm gonna kick back and enjoy the sunshine."

He shook his head. Asano's inability to censure his thoughts was going to get him in some serious trouble some day. Again he found himself missing the simplicity of Hueco Mundo. Instinctively he reached for his zanpakuto, but of course Murcielago was not there. Another part of his past that was gone when he regained human form.

Ishida rose to his feet as well. "I'm going back too."

They walked back in silence. It was one of the character traits that he appreciated about Uryu. The teen had no use for frivolous conversation.

They arrived to the doorway to the classroom at the same time as Orihime and Tatsuki.

"Inoue-san," Ishida said. "Arisawa-san."

"Hey Ishida-kun," Orihime returned with a smile. She seemed a little anxious and again he wondered what was going on. Pushing her friend gently she said, "We should really get to class."

Tatsuki held her ground. "Honestly Orihime what is your problem. Ishida hasn't even introduced me to his new friend."

Inoue became even more distressed. Arisawa just stood and stared directly at him.

"Well Ishida…" she began.

"Oh, yeah," Uryu said, "This is Cifer Ulquiorra. He just started yesterday."

"I know that." She said impatiently.

"Yes of course. Cifer-san this is Arisawa Tatsuki. She is a good friend to Inoue."

She continued to stare at him without responding. Inoue began to wring her hands.

"Ok now that you've been introduced we should really get inside. I don't want to be late again."

Arisawa didn't budge. "You look very familiar to me. I can't help but feel as if we've met before."

"Don't be silly Tatsuki-chan. Ulquiorra, I mean Cifer-san, just moved here. You couldn't possibly have met before." Orihime said uneasily.

He stared at Arisawa and suddenly it all made sense. She was the girl from the park. The one that survived Yammy's gonzui. No wonder Orihime was concerned. She was afraid that her friend would recognize him and create trouble.

"I have traveled here before I came to live here." He said. "Maybe we saw each other in passing."

"Oh wow, that must be it. Huh, Tatsuki-chan?" Inoue asked.

"I don't know." Arisawa said. And then in a whisper she said, "I just have an uneasy feeling …" Shaking herself she smiled and said, "I'm just being silly. Of course Orihime, I probably did see him in passing."

Orihime nodded. "Well maybe we should go."

They headed back into the classroom. The girls that Asano had mentioned earlier were already positioned at his desk. He sighed and headed to sit down. Maybe he should have stayed on the roof. Asano's company would have been better than this.

* * *

Orihime and Tatsuki walked towards the room where the karate club met. Her friend had been urging her to join again, but she had had enough of fighting for the time being. Still she agreed to accompany Arisawa. She had missed her friend while she was away, and enjoyed any time she could spend with her.

Her mood was light and she was starting to relax again. Her worries earlier in the week were unfounded. Ulquiorra had eased into high school life without any real incident, and she was glad that Tatsuki had not questioned him further about his past. His explanation had seemed to satisfy her friend's curiosity.

"So it looks like Ishida's made a new friend this week." Tatsuki interrupted her thoughts.

"Huh?" she asked, and then quickly replied, "Oh yes, isn't it wonderful."

Tatsuki gave her an odd look and said, "I guess so, though I can't imagine what they talk about. Neither one is much of a conversationalist."

It was true. Both boys didn't talk much. It was just one trait they shared in common. Ulquiorra, she observed, was also very bright and approached situations in a very calm manner just like Ishida. She couldn't help but giggle as she thought how Ulquiorra was like a hollow version of the Quincy. She could just imagine them in Hueco Mundo, Uryu dressed in some fashionable ensemble, playing chess, or some equally intelligent game. Maybe a friend would have relieved some of Ulquiorra's boredom, and he wouldn't have been so nasty when he came to check on her.

"Orihime," Tatsuki called to her. "Orihime, you're daydreaming again."

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Turning to her friend she apologized, "I'm sorry, I just had this weird image in my head…"

"Glad to see that some things haven't changed." Her friend interrupted.

Orihime smiled. "It would be nice to see Ishida-kun have a friend that didn't aggravate him like Kurosaki-kun."

"Ichigo aggravates everyone." Her friend replied angrily.

She had noticed, much to her distress that her friend was no longer talking with Kurosaki. Apparently something had happened while she was in Hueco Mundo and neither one was ready to reconcile.

Not knowing how to respond, she remained quiet. They walked in silence across the campus when the objects of their earlier conversation began to walk their way. Ulquiorra with his hands in his pockets, Uryu grasping his book bag, and Ichigo with a scowl on his face. Suddenly Uryu looked their way and spoke. The other two turned their way as well.

"Inoue," Ichigo called out as they approached.

"Hey Kurosaki-kun. We're just heading to the karate club." She said.

Ichigo looked at Tatsuki. "So still number one?"

Arisawa said nothing.

"Hey come on, you're still not going to talk to me?" Ichigo asked.

"Why should I?" Tatsuki asked. "I thought you made it perfectly clear before you left that you didn't want to be friends anymore."

"Look about that…"

"Forget it Ichigo. I really don't give a shit anymore. If you can't trust me with truth about what you're doing, then I guess we really have nothing to say to each other."

She turned to leave, but Ichigo reached out and grabbed her arm. "Come on Tatsuki, I'm sorry…"

She turned around and with lightning quick speed punched him square in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"Save it for someone who cares. I am so sick of your macho routine Ichigo. I don't need you to protect me. I can handle myself."

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Ichigo slowly rose to his feet.

"Kurosaki-kun," Orihime said as she started towards him. A hand shot out and grabbed her by the arm. Turning her eyes met Ulquiorra's.

"This is not your fight." He said calmly.

She held his gaze for a moment and then turned to look at Ichigo and Tatsuki. Ulquiorra was right, it wasn't her fight. Still she hated feeling so helpless. Both her friends were hurting and she wanted to make it better. She relaxed her stance and Ulquiorra released his grip on her arm. Silently she, Ishida, and Ulquiorra watched the fight from the sidelines.

"Tatsuki…" Ichigo began, but Arisawa cut him off.

"Unless you want to be truthful with me just shut up!"

"It's complicated." He said.

"Bullshit! Like I told you before, I've seen you running all over town wearing that black kimono, and I watched you go through that tear in the sky that that guy Urahara made, so stop patronizing me."

"Tatsuki," Ichigo started again, "its better that you don't know…"

"How is it better? Has it really kept me safe in the past? And what about Orihime? She went missing and you wouldn't even raise a hand to help me find her. How can I help her if I'm always fighting blind?"

"You don't need to fight…"

"Why because you'll protect us?"

He remained silent at Tatsuki's words. Her friend walked over and stood toe to toe with Kurosaki.

"I have never asked for you to protect me. You don't need to play the tough guy with me." Tatsuki paused for a moment to regain her composure, and when she spoke again Orihime could hear the strain in her voice. "Damn it Ichigo, we've been friends since we were kids. I always had your back and I never shut you out. But every time something goes wrong in your life you push me away. It was like this when your mother died. I want to help you, but you won't let me in."

"This isn't the same." Ichigo said. His voice was deathly quiet and Orihime could tell he was trying hard to control his emotions. "You can't help me in this. Everything that is happening is so out of your league. It's just not the same."

"I know it has to do with the spiritual realm. I know that you're fighting monsters that could kill you. I also know that Ishida, Sado, and Orihime are somehow mixed up in this." Tatsuki started. "Why do you trust them and not me? I've known you a lot longer than any of them?"

Her question was met again with silence. Frustrated at his refusal to talk Tatsuki reached out and shoved him hard. He stumbled back, but remained on his feet.

"Say something you son of a bitch!" she screamed at him. When he refused to speak Tatsuki drew back her arm and punched him hard in the gut.

Ichigo let out a grunt as he staggered backwards. Tatsuki pushed forward and hit him again and again. Each time she struck him he would just silently take it, until finally Tatsuki lost her will to fight.

Gripping his jacket in her hands she leaned into him and cried, "I guess you're never going to level with me."

He stood stoically for a moment and then tentatively he brought his hands up and embraced her. Tatsuki tried to pull away, but Ichigo tightened his grip.

"I hate you." She cried. "I really hate you."

"You should." He said softly.

They stood in silence for a moment. Finally Ichigo loosened his grip on her and stepped back. With his head bowed down he said in a whisper, "I never wanted to keep this from you. Everything just happened so fast. One minute my life was going along as it always did, and the next moment I was fighting hollows to keep from being killed."

"Hollows," she asked, "those creatures with the holes in their chests?"

"Yeah." He replied.

She wiped her eyes and stared at him.

"And what exactly are you?"

"I'm a Shinigami." He said. "A substitute, but I help protect Karakura Town when the need arises."

From behind Orihime Ulquiorra whispered, "We should leave them to talk."

"I should really be here for her when they finish." She replied.

"We can sit over there," he said and pointed towards a bench a slight distance away.

She nodded her head and turned to follow him. Uryu walked over with them, but excused himself saying he had cram school to get to and couldn't be late. Left alone with Ulquiorra she sat down on the bench. He joined her and they both looked in the direction of Tatsuki and Ichigo. The two continued to talk, but she was no longer worried about Tatsuki doing him any serious harm.

Turning to Ulquiorra she said, "Thank you."

He looked at her questioningly.

"I would have just messed things up if I had gotten involved." She elaborated.

"That is true." He simply responded.

"You know you don't always have to be so honest." She said. She should have been used to it, but his words still stung.

"Would you rather I tell you lies designed to make you feel better about your shortcomings?"

"Yes, actually I would." She replied. "I mean you don't always need to state the obvious. It kind of hurts."

"You should not place such value in what others think of you." He responded.

"That may be true, but bearing that in mind you could try every once in a while to say something nice, you know, just to make a person feel good."

"So even though you know that I am being dishonest, you would be happy because I said something pleasant?"

"Yes." She said. "I mean you should tell the truth with the important things, but little white lies never hurt."

"Your reasoning makes no sense." He said.

She sighed and said, "Somehow I knew you wouldn't get it."

He turned again to look at Ichigo and Tatsuki. She followed his gaze and was relieved to see a slight smile on her friend's face.

"It would seem that they have settled their differences." Ulquiorra said.

She simply nodded at his observation.

"You do understand that there is a good chance Arisawa will remember what happened in the park that day, especially now that Kurosaki is being honest with her."

Orihime hadn't thought about that. She would rather cling to the hope that Tatsuki would forget it, and they would all be able to put the whole incident behind them.

He turned his gaze back to her and said, "You do not want her to remember."

She looked at him and said, "Everything is going so smoothly. I just don't want to ruin it."

"You would rather keep her in the dark?"

"No, but I just… I am afraid…"

"It will not end as well as it did with Kurosaki. Arisawa and I do not share such a history as the two of them. The only thing we have in common is a desire to keep you from harm." He interrupted.

His comment on the outcome of a possible encounter was forgotten as she focused on his last words. Once again he had voiced a concern for her safety. She couldn't help but smile at his comment.

"You have that look on your face again. Obviously I have said something that you have misconstrued as kindness."

She blushed at his comment. She could tell that he was going back over his previous statement looking for the cause of her reaction.

Not waiting for his response she said, "Even when you would act so cruel towards me in Las Noches, I knew that you wouldn't harm me."

He was about to protest when she cut him off.

"When Loly and Menoly came to me in my room, I was so afraid. I tried to be strong, but I was already upset about my friends. They were so cruel, and when their taunts turned physical, I began to hope that you would return. I knew that you would stop them. I trusted that you would protect me."

He once again tried to interrupt, but she refused to let him.

"I was disappointed when Grimmjow came instead. He scared me. There was something so frightening about his disregard for life. He destroyed them both, right before my eyes. It was horrible and he did it just because they made him angry."

As she paused to catch her breath he took the opportunity to speak. "Loly and Menoly were jealous of the attention Aizen paid you. They were disobedient and deserved the punishment Grimmjow gave them. I would not have shown them mercy either."

Feeling brave she asked, "Because they were disobedient to Aizen or because they had hurt me?"

He stared at her intently. She could tell that he was thinking over his words carefully.

"Loly and Menoly were in no position to disregard Aizen-sama's orders. They understood the consequence of their actions." He paused as he noticed the disappointed look on her face. "Still you were my responsibility. They knew that I would not allow you to come to harm."

"Aizen wins." She said. It was hard to keep the frustration from her voice.

He looked momentarily confused, but then said, "I did not always follow Aizen blindly. He did not know all my secrets as you are aware." He grew silent and she wondered what he meant by his words.

Finally he said, "I should not have left you. I went to fight Kurosaki and left you unprotected. It was no surprise that Loly and Menoly took that opportunity to hurt you. When I returned and found you gone my only thought was to get you back. It was Grimmjow that I sought to punish. But if things had been different, if it had been me instead of Grimmjow that had witnessed their assault, I would have killed them for their disobedience, but more so because they had hurt you."

She blushed at his words. It was exactly what she had wanted to hear, but the intensity of the moment left her embarrassed.

Timidly she asked, "Are you just trying to be nice. You know, after what I said earlier about not always being honest…"

"I already explained that your reasoning made no sense." He replied.

She could feel herself blush even more.

"I see." She said.

He turned back to gaze at Ichigo and Tatsuki. She stared at him for a moment and then to her surprise he did something even more unexpected. The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. The action would not been noticeable to someone who didn't know him as well as she did, but she knew it for what it was; a smile. That action, as small as it was, caused an odd feeling in her stomach, and made her heart skip a beat.

Ulquiorra Cifer, the former Fourth Espada in Aizen's Army, was smiling because he had made her happy.


	9. Chapter 9

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

**

**Chapter 9**

Orihime bounded down the hall at school. It seemed that in the three weeks since she had returned from Hueco Mundo her life had completely returned to normal. She had caught up on all her work that she had missed while away, her friends were safe and happy, and best of all Ichigo and Tatsuki had worked out their issues and become friends again. Most surprising was the ease in which Ulquiorra had acclimated to high school life. Though he was not the most sociable of people, he still had a had a close circle of friends that he associated with, and of course there was the steady flow of girls by his desk each day.

The aggressive way in which they pursued him was almost embarrassing. He seemed to tolerate their affections, but it was obvious to her that he would rather be anywhere else than at his desk before and after classes. Sensing his discomfort she had made an extra effort to get to school a little early so that she could walk with him to class. Her presence seemed to dissuade most of the girls from crowding around him, but it earned her many angry glares.

Of course walking in with him had a rather unexpected perk for her as well. Chizuru, who made a habit of groping her on a daily basis, had not made a move since she had joined him in the morning. Ulquiorra could be very intimidating, and though she hated to see anyone distressed, she welcomed the relief from the girl's advances.

This morning she was running later than usual. She raced up the stairs hoping to get to him before the other girls discovered him alone. As she reached the top she found him leaning against the wall with a bored look on his face.

"You are late." He said as she approached him.

"Sorry," she said as she leaned over and tried to catch her breath. "I slept through my alarm clock this morning, and then my bread burned in the toaster, and I was out of red bean paste…"

He pushed off the wall and began to walk. "Your excuses are not necessary."

She stared at his back as he continued to walk away. Feeling slighted she said loudly, "Wow Orihime, that's too bad about your breakfast. Are you hungry? Maybe I could offer you some of my lunch…"

He turned around and stared at her. "Do you require sustenance?"

She walked over to him and said, "No, I still ate the toast, but a little compassion would be nice every now and then."

He shook his head and began to walk again. "You are a strange woman."

She kept pace with him and asked, "I'm strange?"

"Yes, last week you ask me to lie to you so that you can feel good about yourself, and now you wish me to show you compassion over something as trivial as burnt toast."

"I don't see why that is strange" she countered. "You act as if being nice is so horrible."

He thought for a moment and then said, "Your idea of what constitutes being nice is very odd. It fluctuates daily and follows no rhyme or reason. In fact it is very tiring trying to figure you out from one day to the next."

"Is that so?" she asked angrily. "Well if it is so tiring maybe you should just find someone else to walk with you to class."

"That is the first thing you've said that's made sense." He replied and then paused as if thinking over something important. "Maybe I could get Ogawa-san to walk with me. No she's more timid than you."

Orihime couldn't help but make a face at his comment.

"How about Kunieda-san? She's intelligent and not one to worry over trivial matters."

"Kunieda-san! She's so cold and snobby, and she never smiles."

"She sounds perfect." He responded.

Orihime gasped loudly. "I can't believe you. Here I am being nice to you and this is how you thank me? You deserve Kunieda-san!" With that she began to walk away.

"Watch out," he called, "I saw Chizuru walk by earlier. She's probably in the classroom waiting for you."

She turned and glared at him. It was then that she noticed that slight turn to his lips. Walking back over to him she exclaimed, "You're teasing me aren't you?"

"I never tease." He replied stoically.

She couldn't help but smile. He could deny it, but she knew it for what it was. "You better watch it Ulquiorra-san, your actions could be misconstrued as playfulness."

"Kittens and small children are playful…"

"And so are you. I know you're trying to act like you're all tough and stuff, but deep down you're just as silly as all the other boys…"

She never finished her sentence. From somewhere behind her she heard Chizuru yell, "Hime!"

Ulquiorra quickly grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to his side. He turned slightly so that his body was positioned between her and the onslaught that was sure to follow. Reaching out his other hand he connected with Chizuru's forehead, effectively holding her at a safe distance from Orihime.

"Cifer-san you are preventing me from hugging Orihime." She whined

"That would be the point." He replied rather coldly.

"But I haven't been able to greet her all week."

"Your way of greeting her is both inappropriate and unwanted." he responded.

"What are you Orihime's mouthpiece? Can't she decide for herself?" Chizuru complained.

He lowered his hand from Chizuru's forehead.

"Hime!" she exclaimed again as she quickly tried to make her way past Ulquiorra. "Tell Cifer-san to let me see you."

Orihime flushed red. She hated confrontations, but Ulquiorra was right, she did not appreciate the girl's greetings at all. Gathering her courage she said, "Chizuru, your affections are a little overwhelming."

"But Hime you're so cute. I just want to squeeze you." The girl persisted.

"I would rather you didn't squeeze me." She said timidly. "I really don't like being groped like that."

"I see," Chizuru said with an edge in her voice. "You don't like me to grab you, but it is just fine for Cifer-san to rest his hand on your hip like he owns you or something."

Orihime blushed even deeper. She had not really noticed Ulquiorra's arm around her waist, or his hand resting on her hip. Now that Chizuru had brought it to her attention she couldn't help but be embarrassed. Still something in Chizuru's tone bothered her. Not to mention the implications she was making.

"He was just trying to protect me from your advances" she said with a little more force. "Ulquiorra-san is my friend. He is just looking out for me."

"I'll bet." Chizuru pouted. "I bet Tatsuki wouldn't be too happy if she saw you like that."

"What's that Chizuru?" Tatsuki asked as she pushed her way through the crowd that had begun to form. "Are you trying to scare Orihime?"

"Me, no, I wouldn't do that to sweet, little Hime."

"Good, then why don't you head back into the classroom before I remember how much I miss kicking you in the face each morning?" Tatsuki said in an intimidating voice.

"It's unfair," Chizuru complained, "I've liked Hime for a lot longer. Why should I be the one that has to leave?"

Tatsuki took a step towards the girl causing her to back away quickly and head for the safety of the classroom.

"She's gone now. You can take your hands off Orihime, Cifer." Tatsuki said.

Ulquiorra removed his hand from her waist. She was surprised to find that she missed the warmth he had created. Her feelings left her a little unsettled. She was in love with Ichigo, wasn't she? Yet Ulquiorra's touch somehow made her heart race in her chest. How could that be?

Tatsuki's fingers thumped on her forehead rousing her from her thoughts. "Honestly Orihime, you have got to stand up for yourself. What if Cifer had not been there today? We'd still be trying to peel Chizuru off of you."

"I told her my feelings." She timidly responded.

"You would have never done it if you had been alone." Tatsuki replied frustrated. "You know you're a strong girl. You can hold your own against many of the guys in the Karate Club, yet you shy away from confrontations all the time."

"I don't like to fight."

"But you need to defend yourself. Today after school, how about we practice. The club room will be free." Turning to Ulquiorra she continued, "You should come too. I'm curious to see just how good you are."

He looked to Orihime as if for permission. She nodded knowing that Tatsuki wouldn't take no for an answer anyway. Turning to Arisawa he nodded.

"Good then, after school in the club room. And don't worry about protective gear, Cifer. We've got plenty."

With that she grabbed Orihime's hand and started for the classroom.

Once out of Ulquiorra's earshot she said, "Really Orihime, people are going to start talking if you continue to let him act so familiar with you."

"It was nothing Tatsuki. We're just friends."

"Yeah you may think that, but I see how he looks at you when you're not looking. Just be careful, got it."

She put up her thumb. "Got it!" she smiled.

As she approached her desk she wondered about what Tatsuki had said. Just how was he looking at her? Did he think there was something wrong with her? Maybe he thought she looked silly in her uniform. Turning she watched him enter the room and sit down at his desk. Maybe if she was sneaky she could catch him. At least then she could try to figure out what Tatsuki meant.

* * *

"So I hear Arisawa convinced you to a little friendly fight after school." Asano said as he found Ulquiorra and Uryu eating lunch.

"How would you know about that?" he asked.

"Come on, your little confrontation with Chizuru this morning was witnessed by most of the class. Word is all over school about it." He returned excitedly. "I can't believe I missed it."

"Maybe if you came to school on time …" Uryu began.

"I can't help it if I overslept this morning. It's one of the drawbacks to having such an active social life. Of course you wouldn't know anything about that would you Ishida."

Uryu shook his head at Asano's comments.

Ignoring the whole exchange Ulquiorra said, "Arisawa only invited me to the join her and Inoue at the Karate Club room this afternoon. She's going to help Inoue work on her fighting skills."

"She'll need to be in top form to fend off Chizuru." Asano said in reply

"Chizuru is no longer a problem." He said.

"Is that so?." Keigo said. "Sounds like you and Inoue are getting a little chummy there Cifer. People are beginning to talk."

"There is nothing to talk about. Inoue and I have worked out a system. By walking in together she avoids Chizuru, and I no longer have to deal with all the girls hovering around my desk in the morning."

"You act as if that's a bad thing."

Ulquiorra stared at the teen.

"Come on Cifer, you have every girl in class mooning over you. And as if that's not enough you have to hone in on Inoue. How about leaving some for the rest of us." Asano complained.

"Like you would have a chance if he did." Uryu commented.

"I don't see you meeting with much success either." Asano shot back.

"I'm not trying." Uryu replied.

"You keep using that excuse if it works for you." Asano said. "Anyways you should be careful Cifer. Tatsuki is one tough girl. She actually put Ichigo's head through a window when he wouldn't level with her. She won't hesitate to pulverize you if she thinks you're up to no good with Inoue."

'Then I guess I have nothing to worry about." He replied.

"Suit yourself. But don't say I didn't warn you." Keigo said. "Well I'm out of here. Got other people to see."

When he was far enough away from them Uryu said, "You know there is some truth to what he said. Tatsuki is a formable opponent. If she remembers who you are, or discovers that it was you who forced Inoue to Hueco Mundo, she will seriously hurt you."

"It is inevitable. She will eventually realize the truth."

"Are you looking for a confrontation?" Ishida asked.

"I would rather avoid one. Arisawa has a way of drawing attention to herself, even when she is not trying to do so. It would not help my situation if she were to create a scene." He replied.

Uryu was silent for a moment and then said, "In all honesty she has every right to be angry. From what Ichigo told me that incident in the park was pretty horrific."

"Yammy was an idiot. If he hadn't come along none of that would have happened. At his level of development there was no real benefit from consuming all those souls."

Ishida contemplated his answer and then asked, "Do you regret it now that you are human again?"

"Regret what?"

"Consuming human souls; killing innocent people."

"I had no choice. As a hollow it was instinctual. Though my memories are blurred, I knew that I had to consume souls to live. But in all honesty I have not consumed a human soul since I became a Gillian."

"And how long ago was that?" Uryu asked.

He thought about it for a moment and then responded. "Time as you understand it does not exist in Hueco Mundo. Still judging by the changes I have seen in the World of the Living I would have to say that I evolved well over one hundred years ago."

They sat in silence as Uryu digested all the information. Finally he said, "It's odd talking about this with you. Does it bother you, all my questions?"

"Not really. I existed as a hollow. It is a fact that I can't ignore."

"Are you still resentful of Inoue bringing you back as a human?"

"I cannot change what she has done. I can only continue on as I am. It has been my life for as long as I can remember. Survival is everything."

"But life is more than just surviving each day." Ishida commented.

He looked at the teen and said honestly, "It is enough for now."

Uryu shook his head. "Humans require much more if they are to live. Food, shelter, and clothing are just a small part of it. Meeting your basic needs will not be enough. You will eventually desire more or you will lose your will to live."

"The heart that Inoue spoke of." He replied.

"Humans are social creatures. They need relationships to help them grow and become strong. Relying on each other does not make us weak. In fact it is our greatest strength."

"You are quite the philosopher today." He remarked.

"There was a time after my grandfather was murdered that I pushed everyone away from me. I was bitter and angry and I resented everyone else and their happiness. But that changed after I went to the Soul Society to help rescue Rukia Kuchiki. The bond that was formed there gave us all greater strength. Without it we would never have been able to succeed in Hueco Mundo as we did."

He thought about that. He had found Inoue's faith in her friends to be annoying and had openly mocked her for it. But she had been right. Her friends did posses a strength that he had not anticipated. She had called it the heart; had believed in a connection that bonded them to each other. Now Uryu was telling him that without this bond he would become weak and eventually lose his will to live.

"Do you believe that I could forge these friendships that you speak of?" he asked.

"Anything is possible. Still you will have to work harder with some people than others. You have a history with Inoue, Kurosaki, and Arisawa that would be hard for anyone to forgive. Of course Inoue would never have brought you back if she wasn't willing to give you a chance. And whether or not he would ever admit it, I think Ichigo has a certain level of respect for you that could at least lead to a casual friendship. Tatsuki will be much harder. She is not one to forgive easily."

He nodded his head in agreement with Ishida's assessment.

Uryu stood and stretched. Looking at Ulquiorra as he remained seated he said, "Lunch is almost over. I have a few things I need to do still. Are you ready to go?"

"I think I'll sit for awhile longer."

"Ok then I'll see you in class."

Ishida walked off and Ulquiorra reflected on all that they had discussed. As a hollow he had had no need for friendships. He realized now, as a human that would have to change

His thoughts drifted to Orihime. Ishida was right, she wouldn't have rejected his existence as a hollow if she wasn't willing to give him a chance. She had the most history with him of any of the people he now associated with. Even so three weeks in Karakura Town had done little to help him understand her any better than when he had first met her. Her actions, words, and emotions all seemed to contradict each other. She acted scatterbrained quite often, yet she was ranked number three in the class. In Hueco Mundo she had been defiant and brave, yet amongst her peers she acted timid and unsure of herself. But most confusing were the things that she would say to him. Her words often left him wondering just what it was she truly wanted from him.

One thing that was obvious was her feelings for Kurosaki. In fact it seemed that every teen at school knew about her crush except the object of her desires. How Ichigo could be so dense was beyond him, yet the Shinigami had no clue.

Still Kurosaki's ignorance was his gain. It left her free to spend time with him without creating conflict. And though he would never admit it out loud, he enjoyed their early morning walks to class. As annoying as she could be at times, she was the one constant between his old life in Hueco Mundo and his new life here in Karakura Town. Being with her brought him a sense of familiarity and comfort.

Maybe it was time to pursue a friendship with her. Of course in order to that he would have to settle things with Arisawa. He knew that that would not be an easy thing. Somehow he would need to bring about the truth of their past and convince her to trust him. Otherwise any future with Orihime would be impossible.

* * *

**A.N.** This chapter was originally part of the next chapter, but the two together were way too long. But after I split them I realized I needed to add a little more. So the second half of the chapter was written. I found that it sets up the next chapter better this way.

The next chapter is important to the story and brings about a turning point for Ulquiorra. It is meant to be emotionally charged, and even though it is 95% done, I am really going over it with a fine tooth comb because I don't want to screw it up. Hopefully I will get a chance to finish soon.

Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter and especially _Pardon the Insanity_ who's detailed reviews were a great lift and very informative! Also _deathnoteno1fan ~ codegeasslover_ for the faithful chapter reviews.

Please let me know what you think.


	10. Chapter 10

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

**

**Chapter 10 ~ Regrets**

Ulquiorra walked to the Karate Club room. The day had turned cold and storm clouds loomed in the distance. If he stayed too late he was sure to get soaked on the way home. Yet even with the threat of rain, he still found himself looking forward to sparing with Tatsuki. He had not had any real physical activity since he had come to the World of the Living, and if what he had seen last week was any indication of Tatsuki's abilities, he was in for a good workout.

He arrived at the club room and entering saw Orihime standing in the middle of the room. She had changed into her gym clothes as had he, and catching sight of him waved enthusiastically.

"Hey Ulquiorra-san; Tatsuki is getting a few pieces of equipment so we can started soon."

He walked out to where she stood and surveyed the items lying on the floor.

"Really all you need is the helmet and chest protector, but you can use these other pads to protect your shins and forearms." She informed him.

"All of this seems unnecessary. I would not use such items if I was involved in a real fight." He replied.

"Yeah but I'm not about to take the risk that you'll get injured." Tatsuki said as she approached. "I could get kicked out of the club if something happened under my guidance."

She was joined by Kurosaki. The teen did not look excited to be there, but Ulquiorra figured that he was still trying to mend his broken relationship with Arisawa, so he was at her mercy.

"Inoue." He said as he walked up.

"Kurosaki-kun." She said excitedly. "I didn't know that you were coming too?"

"Tatsuki kind of forced me into it." He replied.

"Come on Ichigo when you say it like that you make it sound so unpleasant." Tatsuki said. "Besides it's not like you have anything better to do."

The teen remained silent at her response. Ulquiorra thought that deep down Kurosaki was probably hoping to get a chance to take him on again. At least in their human bodies they would be on equal ground. It could make for an interesting afternoon.

Tatsuki thrust a helmet and chest protector at him and said, "Geez you're just as spacey as Orihime at times. Here, put these on so we can get started."

He looked at the gear in his hands. He felt they were completely unnecessary, but the girl was insistent. He dropped the chest guard and placed the white practice helmet on his head. Picking up the chest protector he said, "I can see the need for a helmet, but this piece of equipment will be too restrictive."

Tatsuki turned and was about to respond when she caught sight of him with the helmet on. Her face turned white and her eyes went wide with recognition.

"Oh no," she gasped as she brought her hand to her mouth.

"Shit!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"Tatsuki…" Inoue began, but her friend brushed her aside.

"Now I know why you looked so familiar. I remember now." She whispered as she approached him. "You were at the park that day when all those people died. You were there."

Ulquiorra looked at her. Realizing that a confrontation was unavoidable he said, "It was rather unfortunate, what happened that day. I would rather not have caused such a scene, but Yammy insisted on coming."

Tatsuki regained her composure and went to strike him across the face. Ulquiorra's response was quick as he grabbed her hand before she could connect.

"Unlike Kurosaki, I have no plans to let you use me as a punching bag,"

Tatsuki struggled against his grip. When he wouldn't release her she hooked her foot around his leg and yanked it out from under him. Both fell to the ground with Tatsuki landing on top. The force of their impact caused Ulquiorra to lose his hold on Tatsuki's arm.

"You son of a bitch." She yelled, "All those people died and all you can say is that it was unfortunate."

This time her fist connected with his face. She drew back to punch him again, but he managed to bring up his hands to block her. Shoving her off of him he quickly rose to his feet and took up a defensive stance. She regained her footing and immediately rushed towards him. She drew her leg back to kick him, but he anticipated her move and easily blocked it. She then countered by turning and kicking him hard in the gut with her other foot. He stumbled back, but kept himself from falling. Coming at him again she grasped his shirt by the collar with both of her hands.

"You fucking bastard, how dare you try to act like you belong here."

Before he could react she brought her knee swiftly into his groin. The force of her action caused him to fall to his knees. Gasping for breath he tried to keep his bearings, but it was hard to focus. The pain was excruciating. Unable to breath he dropped down to all fours and pushed the helmet from his head. As he knelt there panting, he could hear Kurosaki yelling at Arisawa.

"Enough Tatsuki. You made your point."

"I haven't even begun to show this piece of crap what I think about him," she yelled in return.

He heard her approach and looked up just as she was drawing her foot back. Unable to respond quickly enough he took the full brunt of her kick in his ribs. He fell onto his back. He couldn't help but hiss as he attempted to take a deep breath. Her kick had definitely caused him some damage.

Unwilling to remain at her mercy he worked him way back to his feet. His breathing was coming hard, and he was amazed by how limited he was in this human body. As an Espada his spiritual pressure alone would have killed her. Now he was struggling just to keep up.

"Ready for some more," she said.

He just stared at her in return. Silently he assessed her strengths as well as her weaknesses. She was definitely a skilled fighter, but her emotions were leading her in this battle. It would definitely be to his advantage to play to her feelings.

"It would seem that I had underestimated your abilities. You are remarkably bloodthirsty, just like my fellow Espadas. I think you would have fit in well in Hueco Mundo."

Her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared at his remarks. "I am nothing like you or your other hollow buddies."

"I would say the only thing that differs is the fact that you are still human." He returned.

"Fuck you." She yelled and then ran towards him.

He took advantage of her anger and easily blocked her punch returning it with one of his own. She grunted as his fist connected with her stomach, but recovered quickly bringing her other arm around to hit him in the head. He in turn ducked as she swung and stepping forward slightly, brought the heel of his hand up to hit her under the chin. The force sent her flying backwards. She landed soundly on her rear. Bringing her hand to her mouth she wiped away the blood from where she had bit her lip.

He restrained himself from taking advantage of her while she was down. As much as he wanted to soundly defeat her, he knew that there was much more at stake here than his pride. Standing back he waited for her to rise to her feet.

"I see you still wish to continue this." He said as she got to her feet and resumed a fighting stance.

"A few well placed punches are not enough to stop me." She said.

With that she came at him again. They continued back and forth, both facing exhaustion, but neither willing to surrender. As they fought he could hear Inoue yelling out to them to stop. He didn't dare glance her way or let her pleas distract him. Arisawa was a formidable opponent and required his complete attention. Tatsuki, he thought was very much the same, so Orihime's cries fell on deaf ears.

Finally they broke away from each other. He stood facing Arisawa. His breathing was coming hard, blood mixed with sweat partially obscured his vision, and his side was screaming in pain. He noticed that she didn't fare much better.

Panting heavily she prepared to attack again when Orihime stepped in between them.

"Tatsuki please stop."

Arisawa looked at Orihime. A pained expression came over her face and she said, "You knew who he was. You were there that day. You saw it all and yet you didn't tell me."

"I couldn't." Inoue said in return.

Tatsuki put up her hand and said angrily, "Don't Orihime, don't say it. I could have dealt with the truth. You didn't have to worry about protecting me"

"It wasn't you she was protecting." Ulquiorra said.

"What, was she protecting you?" She spat back at him.

"No Tatsuki," Ichigo said as he came to stand next to Inoue. "She was protecting herself."

Arisawa looked at him in confusion. "You're not making any sense Ichigo."

"It's a complicated story…"

"Spare me from that lame excuse." She yelled back at her friend. "He's a fucking hollow. He shouldn't be here, and nothing you say is going to excuse that."

"He's not a hollow anymore." Ichigo said.

"Bullshit. Once you're dead, you're dead. Isn't that what you said? Hollows can't regain their humanity."

"This one did." He replied.

"I don't believe you. How is that even possible?" She asked.

Ichigo glanced at Orihime. She stood quietly with a worried look on her face. Tatsuki followed his gaze.

"Orihime?" she asked. "Are you implying that she had something to do with this?"

Inoue bit her lower lip nervously.

"I don't believe it. I know he's a hollow. I've seen that hole in his chest."

As if to make her point she went over to where he stood. Grabbing his shirt she pulled hard. The fabric tore revealing his chest. She stared in disbelief.

"I saw it." She said. Tears of frustration began to well up in her eyes. "I saw that hole in his chest. He may look human, but deep down he's still a monster. People can't just change when they're evil like that."

Orihime approached them and said softly, "Please Tatsuki, you have to stop this. Ulquiorra is human now."

Arisawa turned and stared at her friend. "How could you do such a thing? Even if you possess such a power, how could you make him human?"

"It's hard to explain." Orihime responded.

"Try." Tatsuki said angrily. "I'd really like to know why you would give such a piece of crap a chance to live like us - with us for crying out loud. Geez Orihime, he could have killed any of our friends."

"He wouldn't. People can change…"

"Not him, not after everything that happened."

"You don't even know everything that happened!" Orihime cried out. "You only know a small part of it. You weren't there in Hueco Mundo. You didn't see all the horrible things that happened, to him, to me, to all of us."

Tatsuki stood stunned by her friend's outburst.

"Even from the very beginning, right after Ulquiorra brought me before Aizen, I realized how cruel the Espada were. Grimmjow, as soon as I had healed his arm, proceeded to kill the Espada who had taken his place. He just blew him away at close range with a cero blast. All that was left was the bottom half of his body, and no one said anything. They acted as if it were normal.

"And then he did the same thing to Menoly, and then Loly," she paused as her voice hitched and caught in her throat, "He physically beat her, stomping on her and then he… he ripped her leg off. With his own hands, and he never hesitated. When he was done he just turned to me and told me to take care of my injuries so we could go."

Tatsuki paled at Orihime's account, but Inoue continued.

"The Espada, all the Arrancars, saw each other as a threat. They didn't care who they killed, hollow or human alike. But Ulquiorra, although he could be cruel, never used unnecessary force. He protected me from those others. He was loyal enough to Aizen to keep me from harm. Grimmjow tried to kill me the first time I refused to do his bidding."

For some reason her statement angered him. He had not known the extent of what Grimmjow had done to her while he was trapped in the Caja Negacion. It did not surprise him that the Sixth had treated her so, but in all honesty he wasn't sure who he was angry at more: Grimmjow for trying to kill her or himself for placing her in such a position by his own negligence.

"You paint me in too kind a light. You know that if Aizen had given the order I would have ended your life then and there." He spoke up.

"But you didn't." She replied as she turned to face him.

"That was after…" he started, but she cut him off.

"…after I rejected your existence as a hollow."

He only stared at her silently. Turning to Tatsuki she said, "He could have killed me, but he didn't. Regaining his humanity changed things."

"Orihime," Tatsuki began gently, "Ichigo told me that hollows cannot regain their humanity. Their hearts are lost."

"It's not true." Orihime said wiping the tears from her eyes. "Sora remembered. He regained his humanity long enough to put an end to his existence as a hollow."

"What are you talking about?" Tatsuki asked. "Sora's been dead for over three years now."

"That night when we were both injured in my apartment. It was Sora. He attacked us and planned to kill us, but Kurosaki-kun stopped him. Our memories were changed after it happened, but we both knew something wasn't right, remember?"

"That creature was Sora?" Arisawa said shocked.

Orihime nodded her head. Tears fell freely from her eyes. "It was my fault. I loved him so much, and I couldn't imagine living without him. He stayed around in this world because of me, and because of that he became a Hollow."

"He was forced to become a hollow." Ichigo cut in. "Another, stronger Hollow was using him to get to me. He knew I wouldn't be able to kill someone I had a connection to."

Orihime shook her head. "If I hadn't begged him to stay, he would have passed on. He would never have been able to be used." She paused for a moment to collect her thoughts and then continued, "Even still, Sora remembered. In the end he remembered how much he loved me. He couldn't kill me."

"Inoue," Ichigo began, "Sora had not been a Hollow for long. Rukia said that it was probably because he had been forced to become one that he remembered. She had never seen something like before, or heard of such a thing happening."

"But he did remember, and while he regained his humanity he made the right choices. He remembered what it was like to have a heart and to care for others."

"That was completely different from this." Ichigo said.

"No it's not!" she responded emphatically. "You of all people should know that. You are so kind and gentle. You always put others before you. Taking care of us, protecting us, but even you lost yourself."

"Inoue…" Ichigo began, but she wouldn't let him finish.

"It was my fault Kurosaki-kun." She whispered. Tears streamed down her face in earnest. "I pleaded with you to save me. I forced you to become that … that…"

She couldn't finish and Tatsuki jumped in, "What is she talking about Ichigo?"

Kurosaki looked at his childhood friend and Ulquiorra could see the guilt on his face. Atop Las Noches he had voiced regret and anger because he had won while possessed by his inner hollow. Now that time had passed it was obvious that the teen was dealing with feelings much more painful.

Ichigo remained silent. Tatsuki pushed forward again. "You promised no more secrets."

"If you truly value his friendship you would not press this issue." Ulquiorra said.

"Don't you dare talk to me about friendships." Tatsuki yelled in return.

"Tatsuki," Orihime cried, "Please stop."

Kurosaki walked over to Arisawa and in a hoarse voice said, "When I told you I was a Shinigami I wasn't being completely honest. Inside of me there was this other side I couldn't control; my inner hollow. This group of people called the Vizards helped me learn to control it and use it to make me stronger."

"I don't understand." She said. "How could you be a hollow?"

"I wasn't a hollow, but if I didn't learn to control it eventually it would have consumed me." He replied.

"No, I don't believe you Ichigo."

"It's true. I tried to hide it from my friends. Uryu and Chad were completely unaware, even when we entered Hueco Mundo."

"But Orihime said that you lost yourself. I thought you said that you had it under control."

"I did, but while Ulquiorra and I were fighting something happened…"

"It was my fault Kurosaki-kun." Orihime said again. "It was my pleading that made you change. I was so afraid. I thought you were dead, and Ishida-kun had been injured. I didn't know what to do." She brought her hands to her face and dropped slowly to her knees.

Tatsuki knelt down beside her. "Orihime."

With her head still bowed, Inoue placed her hands in her lap and spoke again, "It was so horrible. There was blood everywhere. I had pleaded with Kurosaki-kun until suddenly he got up, but it wasn't him, and it wasn't that hollow mask he wore when he fought, it was something worse. He was like them. And when he blasted Ulquiorra at such close range destroying most of his body I thought he would stop, but he didn't. Even when Ishida-kun begged him to stop. And then… and then…" she began to cry again in earnest.

Tatsuki looked to Ichigo. "What the hell did you do?"

Once again he remained silent.

She turned to Ulquiorra.

"Kurosaki was not in control of himself. When he did those things he was completely at the mercy of his inner hollow."

"What did he do!" Tatsuki yelled.

"He was going to finish me off, but the battle was over. There was no way I could regenerate the organs that had been destroyed. Still Ishida had some misplaced notion of honor. He tried to stop Kurosaki before he completely lost his humanity. By then though he could not distinguish friend from foe…"

"I impaled Uryu with my Zanpakuto." Ichigo said in a strangled voice. "My own friend and I tried to kill him."

The room fell silent at his statement. The only sound was Orihime's sobs.

After a moment Inoue whispered, "Without a heart Kurosaki-kun did terrible things. It was because he was hollow like Ulquiorra. But I knew that Kurosaki was good. Just like Sora was good. Maybe it was because they had a heart. Maybe all Ulquiorra needed was that same chance."

Tatsuki reached out and embraced her friend. Orihime grasped onto Arisawa and began to sob again.

"I couldn't let it end like that. Kurosaki-kun is too kind. He would have regretted it. I had to reject it. I had to make things right. After all it was my fault.

"Ssh," Tatsuki crooned. "It's ok Orihime."

"Please Tatsuki, please give Ulquiorra a chance. I know that it will be hard for you, but I believe he can change."

Tatsuki looked over Orihime's shoulder at him. They stared at each other for a moment, and then she lowered her head again.

He didn't expect her to accept him. He honestly didn't know what to believe about his existence anymore. He just knew that the sight of Orihime so saddened caused him to feel a deep gnawing dissatisfaction. Something he never would have believed possible in Hueco Mundo.

Looking up again, this time at Ichigo, Tatsuki whispered, "Maybe you two should go. I'll take care of her."

Ichigo gave no protest at her request. Instead he simply nodded his head and grabbed his things. He then found Ulquiorra's bag and picked that up as well.

Looking at him he said, "You heard her."

He then turned to leave. Ulquiorra looked one last time at Orihime and Tatsuki. He brought her to Hueco Mundo because Aizen had commanded it so. He believed in Aizen and his plans, and she had just been a part of that. Now he realized that she was so much more. That realization gave birth to a very unpleasant feeling in his chest, an ache that only increased the longer he stared at her.

He walked outside of the club room only to find that the rain had started while they were inside. Ichigo stood just outside the door staring out into the rain soaked school yard. He approached and stood silently next to him.

"Damn it!" Ichigo suddenly exclaimed. "I went to Hueco Mundo to rescue her. I was supposed to protect her, but in the end I only did her more harm."

Ulquiorra did not know how to respond. His intentions had never been so noble, and up until this moment regret had been an emotion he had not experienced in a very long time. Now though he realized that that unpleasant feeling was just that very thing. He was the one who had brought her to Hueco Mundo. If anyone were to bear the blame in this it would be him. But he couldn't change the past. He could only push ahead, which was all any of them could really do.

"Aizen sorely underestimated you." He said after a moment. "I think we all did. No one could have foreseen what would happen during that battle. She was correct you know. It was her pleading and your promise to protect her that brought about your transformation. And while it was terrifying for her, you did save her life. I honestly do not know how things would have ended otherwise."

Ichigo let out a deep sigh. "I would have killed Uryu if you hadn't stopped me."

"I was simply trying to kill you." He replied.

Ichigo turned and looked at him. "Why do you have to do that all the time?"

"Do what?" he asked.

"Be so honest."

"I thought you humans valued honesty above most things." He replied.

"That's another annoying thing you do."

Ulquiorra only stared at him waiting for an explanation.

"Always referring to us as humans; saying it like we're something you scraped off your shoe. In case you haven't noticed you're one of us now." Ichigo said.

"You did not sound too convinced back there." He responded.

Ichigo turned back and stared out into the rain. "I was told that Hollows could never become human again. I guess in the back of my mind I really doubt that Orihime could really posses such power. I keep expecting you to just pop out of your body like it was some Gigai and try to blast me with a cero."

"If that were the case I would have done so weeks ago." He said.

Kurosaki turned back to stare at him again. "Is that your attempt at a joke."

"I don't joke." He replied.

"See, there it is, that honesty!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"So I shouldn't be honest?"

"No, but you don't have to always say it out loud. Like earlier with Tatsuki, you didn't have to say that thing about Yammy at the park. You only managed to piss her off more, and believe me she will not forget what you said any time soon."

Reaching down Ichigo grabbed his book bag and handed it to him.

"People don't always want to hear the truth. If you're going to fit in you'll have to pay attention to people's feelings better. You need to learn when to just shut up, and things will go a lot smoother for you."

He began to walk away and then stopped. Looking back at him he said, "By the way that remark I made earlier about almost killing Uryu; it was meant as a thank you."

With that Ichigo turned back and walked away. Ulquiorra only stared after him. This day had certainly not gone as he had expected. His earlier wish of a friendship with Orihime now seemed more distant a reality than ever before.

He thought of the girl just beyond the doors to the club room. Back in Hueco Mundo her need for reassurance and comfort only served to annoy him. He had wanted nothing to do with such useless human emotions. But now he found that he desired nothing more than to go back inside and say something, no matter how trivial, to ease her pain and bring the smile to her face again.

Uryu had told him that afternoon that survival was not enough. Human beings required interaction, relationships, to thrive. He realized that he could no longer isolate himself. If he wished to grow stronger he would need to forge friendships. Only, the person he desired to be with the most, was the one to whom he had hurt the deepest.

Stepping out into the cold rain he began to walk home. The ache in his chest still remained. Was this what it meant to have a heart, he thought. If so, being human was going to be a lot harder than he had originally believed.

* * *

**A.N.** I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It is so important to the story and I really didn't want to screw it up. I must have revised it ten different times and then spent an hour yesterday just getting the last three paragraphs written. That said I couldn't get the time to submit it unti almost twenty-four hours later!

Thank you again to those who reviewd. As for _**Mellow**_ - I love reviews, so please keep them coming! Thanks also to _**Rusky-Boz**_ and _**Pardon the Insanity**_ - I'm so glad you both enjoyed the interaction with Uryu. And of course d_**eathnoteno1fan-codegeasslover**_ who reviews faithfully each chapter - I look forward to hearing from you.

So please drop me a line if you are enjoying this story. I know it may not move as quickly as other fics, but I do like to know how it's being recieved.


	11. Chapter 11

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

**

**Chapter 11 **

_He was unsure of how long he stood outside in the chilly air waiting for his grandmother to come for him. His relief from earlier had giving way to an uneasy feeling in his stomach. The old woman was rough and in his young experience the cruelest person he had ever met, yet he had left his mother at her mercy. His fear over his mother's safety finally spurned him into action. He made his way back to the house, and was just about to open the door when his grandmother forcefully pushed the screen aside. Her displeasure at seeing him was clear on her face._

"_Your mother is ready to see you boy." She spat at him._

_She stepped aside and he ran into the room. His mother knelt beside the fire pit in the center of the room. Her hair had been brushed and pulled back gently from her face, and the disheveled and dirty kimono was replaced by a clean one. She looked up at him and giving a weak smile, opened her arms wide. He quickly made his way over to her. Reaching out she grabbed him and pulled him into a fierce hug._

"_I am so sorry Daisuke." She crooned. "I have let you down my son."_

_Suddenly all the pain from his father's death and his mother's unresponsive behavior came flooding in on him. Returning her hug with equal vigor he began to sob uncontrollably._

"_It's ok Daisuke, you are safe now. I'm not going to let you go. You just let it all out." She whispered gently in his ear._

_Her stood in her arms and cried. He cried for the father that he had so loved and had cruelly been taken from him at such a young age. He cried for his mother who was lost and broken because of his death. And he cried for himself. The reality of the future that lay ahead of them was terrifying. Hunger, cold, and disappointment were things that he had become very accustomed to in the past year. He had tried to be brave in the face of everything, but he found he could no longer do that._

_His mother continued to hold him, rocking gently, soothing away the pain. "I will be stronger from now on my son. I will protect you and make sure that you are always provided for."_

"_Just don't go away." He pleaded. "Don't leave me alone."_

_He felt her stiffen slightly at his remark and then squeeze him even tighter._

"_I will never abandon you Daisuke. You are my life." She replied. Her voice cracked and he knew that she too was crying just as hard as he was._

_She held him until his tears eased. He stood limply in her arms. He was physically spent form the crying. _

_After a while she pushed him back gently and smiling wistfully said, "Your father loved you so much. Everything he ever did was for you and your future. He was a very intelligent man and very shrewd as well." _

_Daisuke only stared at her not quite sure of what she was saying._

"_He knew he was going to die," she said softly. "He also understood that we would never survive the upcoming year without help. That is why he contacted my mother."_

_His eyes went wide as he thought about the letter that his father had asked him to deliver. It all made sense now as to why he had asked him to keep it secret from his mother, especially now that he had met his grandmother._

"_He asked her to find it in her heart to forgive me and take me back into her home." She stared at him intently and continued, "You know that I have not seen or spoken to my mother in all of the years that I have been married to your father. She is a very absolute person. Once you cross her she never forgives you, but your father felt he had to try._

"_It would seem that fate was on his side. My brother was killed unexpectedly last year and my mother has been left with no children to pass on the family home and lands. She is a very prideful woman and the thought of having the lands that have been in her family for centuries being divided up and given to strangers, is unacceptable._

"_She came to see me with a proposition. She will take us in and provide for us, food, shelter, and an education for you Daisuke," she said quickly. "I in turn will learn to manage the family lands, so that when she dies it will continue on in her family."_

_He stood speechless at all that she had revealed to him._

_Placing her hands on his shoulders she said gently, "You will never want for anything again Daisuke. All your needs will be met and you will become an educated man. The world has opened up for you. You can follow any road you choose."_

_He looked into her eyes and said solemnly, "There are conditions I suppose."_

_She drew back silently at his words. "You are very much like your father. He always saw the truth of any situation we were in." She looked down and then gathering her courage looked back into his eyes. "You will never be allowed to inherit the lands and property. My mother was adamant about that. She hated Hiromasa and she claimed she would never pass on peacefully when she died if she knew that his son was the new head of her family's house."_

_Her words did not surprise him. It was obvious that his grandmother despised him, but still he found the conditions made little sense. _

"_Then what will happen when you die?" he asked. "How would everything stay within the family?"_

_She looked away from him and stared into the fire. After a moment she said, "I must remarry. My mother has given this quite some thought and has already selected a few men from good families as prospects."_

"_But my father has barely been dead a week!" he yelled as he stepped away from her. "How can she speak such disrespectful words?"_

_His outburst brought a fresh trail of tears from her eyes down her cheeks._

"_I will never love another as I loved your father." She turned and stared at him. "But I will not let you die from starvation either. I accepted my mother's proposition to spare you that fate. You may not inherit the riches of my family, but you will benefit from them."_

"_I don't want it. I would rather starve than see you married to some other man. You are my mother and I will take care of you."_

_She got up and walked over to him. Reaching out her hand to comfort him she said, "As your mother it is my duty to provide for you."_

_He pushed her hand away and turned his back on her._

"_I will not let you do this!"_

"_You have no choice." She stated firmly. "I have already agreed. We leave as soon as this conversation is over."_

_He clenched his fists at his side. The anger that rushed through him was overwhelming. He hated being so powerless. His father had asked him to take care of her, but in the end he took that away from him by contacting his grandmother. Now he was at her mercy. His mother would eventually marry another man and start a new family, leaving him alone._

_She reached out again to him. Resting her hand gently on his shoulder she said, "I did this because I love you. My choice today will give you the chance to grow into an adult and marry. When you have a child someday you will understand."_

_He moved away from her touch._

"_I will never marry. I don't ever want to love someone if it means hurting them like this."_

_With that he stormed out of the house. He walked by his grandmother without sparing her a glance. He continued on until he came to the oak in the middle of their farm. His heart that had earlier been so filled with sorrow was now consumed by a deep, burning anger towards the old woman who had given his mother such a horrid ultimatum._

_Worse though was the anger he felt towards his parents. How could his father turn to his grandmother for help when he knew what kind of a person she was, and worse how could his mother agree to her terms?_

_He loved her and she was going to abandon him. No matter how she felt towards her new husband, she would never withhold her love from a new child. One day he would be replaced by another._

_He stood silently thinking through all that had happened. After some time he heard approaching footsteps. _

"_It's time to go Daisuke." His mother said. _

_He turned and stared at her for a moment. Silently he began to walk back towards the house. He couldn't bring himself to speak to her right now. His chest hurt and it was hard to breathe. _

_Suddenly he was struck by a sharp, jarring pain in his side. He closed his eyes and let out a moan._

When he opened his eyes he wasn't on his family farm any longer. The pain in his side was caused when he startled awake from his dream. His past was now a lingering memory. His chest still hurt, but he knew that was from the bruised ribs he had received during his fight with Tatsuki. He concentrated on calming his breathing. Tessai had told him that the best cure for bruised ribs was rest, but after the disturbing memories that he had just relived it was hard to relax.

It was difficult to separate himself from the young child that he had been. The pain was as fresh as the day it had happened. The feelings of loss and the fear of being abandoned by his mother were just as overwhelming now as they had been centuries ago.

He lay on his bed trying to understand what was happening to him. Orihime had mentioned Sora regaining his memories for a brief time when had regained his humanity. It would seem that by rejecting his existence as a hollow she had managed to unlock the places in his brain where his memories had retreated to when he had lost his heart.

He was unsure what good it did for him to remember his past. The people that he had loved and hated all lived long ago. They had all moved on. Reliving all the pain was serving no purpose as far as he could see. All it was doing was leaving him feeling unsettled. He desired something to ease this burden, but he couldn't quite name it.

Suddenly the image of Orihime crying as Tatsuki held her flashed into his mind. Comfort was what the girl needed. Just to have someone hold her and let her release all those pent up, painful feelings. He had not understood it in Hueco Mundo and had openly mocked her. Now it was starting to make sense.

This bond that humans had, the need for relationships that Uryu had talked about, it gave them the strength to continue on even in the worst of conditions. As long as they had someone to confide in, someone to unburden themselves upon, they could persevere.

He thought back to his mother. In her arms he felt safe and secure. He knew that no harm would come to him. She never had to say a word, her presence alone was enough.

Remembering her embrace made him long for human contact, something he hadn't desired in a long time. His thoughts turned once again to Orihime. His resolve to build a friendship with her was as strong as earlier, yet he felt uncertainty as well. What if she no longer wanted to have anything to do with him? Reliving all those horrible events from her time in Hueco Mundo could have changed her mind.

The agitation caused by these thoughts made it hard for him to rest. Looking at his clock he saw that it was three in the morning. He would have to rise for school soon anyways, might as well get up now and finish the homework that he had neglected the previous evening.

Engrossing himself in his studies helped to distract him somewhat, but every now and then his mind would steer towards Orihime. He glanced at the clock wishing that time would go quickly. He was anxious to get to school and see for himself how she truly felt.

* * *

Orihime lay on her futon. The night had passed painfully slow for her. She had tossed and turned, but never really got any quality sleep. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the fight between Tatsuki and Ulquiorra. She hated to see them at odds like that. She should have expected that it would go as it had though. Both were strong willed and hated to back down from a confrontation. She had never seen her friend in such bad shape after a fight, and she imagined that Ulquiorra hadn't faired much better.

It had seemed pretty natural for her to use her powers to reject her friend's injuries. Tatsuki had been full of questions after that, and Orihime spent much of the night explaining everything about her powers and the incidents that she had been involved with over the past year.

She tried to avoid many of the details about Hueco Mundo, but in the end her friend had managed to get everything out of her, including Ulquiorra's refusal to carry through on Aizen's order to kill her. Tatsuki had been shocked by most of her account, but Orihime couldn't tell if she had made things better or worse for Ulquiorra.

One thing that bothered Tatsuki was how Orihime could just forget about all the nasty things Ulquiorra had done to her. It hadn't been a conscious effort on her part. It just seemed that when she rejected his existence as a hollow she had somehow rejected all of her bad memories too. It wasn't as if they were gone, she hadn't forgotten any of it, but she had been able to put them from her mind. She supposed if she was truly going to give him a fresh start than she should let him start with a fresh slate.

Maybe it was a carry over from her childhood. Living with abusive parents, even for such a short time had caused her to see things differently. She needed to feel useful and loved, and sometimes that need caused her to forget all the terrible times.

Sora had told her that if he spent his life dwelling on the past and all the anger he felt, he would never have been able to take her away from their parents' house and provide her with a happier life. He had never forgiven them for how they treated him, but he had let it go.

She guessed that that was how she saw Ulquiorra. He had done terrible things and had said very cruel things to her, but she knew that deep down there was something redeemable about him. When he reached for her in the end, she knew that he could change. She knew that she had to give him that chance and so she had. And part of that chance was cleaning the slate for him.

She tried to make it a game. She pretended that he really was a new boy at school. It didn't always work, but sometimes she could forget. Sometimes though the subtle changes that she saw in him made her smile, and when she would think about the past it wouldn't hurt so much.

He was changing. He may not want to admit it, but she could see it. The tiny smiles and the teasing were a side of him that she had never seen before, and she liked it. He wasn't very obvious about things like some boys, and she thought that maybe it was because he didn't realize that he was a human boy that he could be so indifferent.

That thought made her think of the character Pinocchio from the children's story that Sora used to read to her when she was young. Suddenly an image of Ulquiorra as a wooden puppet freed of his strings that tied him to Aizen began to form in her mind. She could see him getting into all kinds of mischief. And Uryu would be like the little cricket that was his conscience.

"_Ulquiorra you didn't just blast Ichigo with a cero did you?" Uryu would ask in a teeny, tiny voice._

_Ulquiorra would shake his head and stare solemnly as he always did. Suddenly his nose would begin to grow revealing his lie._

This image made Orihime laugh out loud. Poor little Ulquiorra; would he ever become a real live boy? Maybe just like the little puppet he would need the help of his friends, and of course the Blue Fairy, to actually make the change.

Her nose scrunched up at that thought. For some reason the thought of Ulquiorra becoming a real boy with the help of some other girl made her feel jealous. She imagined herself in a fancy blue dress with sparkles in her hair, a beautiful crown on her head, and lacy wings coming from her back. In her hand was a magical wand that she would wave over him to make him real.

But hadn't she already done that? Back in Hueco Mundo she had made him a real boy, but honestly something was still missing. She couldn't put her finger on it. He was definitely changing more each day, but something wasn't quite as it should be. She realized that she would have to work hard to find out what it was and help him.

_Once again she imagined herself dressed in blue. Her wand in her hand poised over a sleeping Ulquiorra. She waved the wand and he awoke. Catching sight of her he smiled, and not just one of those sneaky, little smiles he was doing right now, but a genuine smile that lit up his whole face._

"_I'm a real live boy!" he would exclaim._

"_You always had it in you." She would say warmly. "You just needed someone to believe in you."_

This train of thought helped her relax. The clock beside her bed told her that it was three in the morning. Just a few more hours before she would have to get ready for school. She rolled over and with a smile on her face fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

**A.N.** This chapter started out completely different. It sat on my computer for a few days partially complete, but it wasn't working. So this morning I scrapped it and started again. This is the result. It kept to the main idea I had for the chapter, but it was a little lighter and included Orihime's musings.

The part with Pinnochio came out of the blue, but I liked it so it stayed. I'm going from Disney memories so I apologize to any book readers who may have differences.

I have to say that when I submitted the last chapter I went to bed and didn't check my emails until the morning. What a pleasant surprise to find so many reviews, alerts, and favs. I was smiling all day, and believe me this week I needed that boost! Thank you all.

Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. From here on (for awhile) there will be fluff on a pretty consistent and shameful basis.


	12. Chapter 12

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

**

**Chapter 12 **

Orihime slept through her alarm clock that morning. Rushing through her routine, she made it to school well into the start of classes. Embarrassed she slunk over to her desk and tried to hide. She had been having the oddest dream about Ulquiorra, and though she could feel his eyes on her, she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze.

When classes broke for lunch she quickly made her way to her locker. The images from the night before were still fresh in her mind and she wasn't ready to face anybody, especially Ulquiorra. Rummaging through her locker she grabbed her lunch and slammed the door shut. Turning she let out a yelp as the person she was most trying to avoid was standing right beside her.

"Ulquiorra you scared me." She said breathlessly.

"You were late today."

"I slept bad last night." She started. "And then I didn't fall back asleep until about three this morning. Of course then I had that weird dream."

The memory caused her to blush and she quickly shut her mouth. Getting a better look at him she exclaimed, "Look at you. Oh you're a mess. I forgot about the fight."

"You forgot about the fight?" he asked.

"Well yes, I mean no, I was just momentarily distracted. But never mind that, are you ok?"

"I have been better." He said.

She stared at his bruised face and cut lip. Tatsuki had really walloped him. She still cringed when she thought of the kick he took to his ribs.

Standing up straighter she exclaimed, "Your ribs!"

"They are bruised."

"Bruised?" she pressed forward. "Let me take a look."

"You don't have to see. They are all black and blue."

"Then at least let me heal them."

"Not right here," he returned. "People will see us."

"Ok then how about in the back behind the lockers."

"It's still very public."

"It's not like you even have to take your clothes off. I've gotten a lot better and quicker. We'll be done before anyone even notices."

"We may still draw attention."

"Oh come on Ulquiorra, don't be so stubborn. It's obvious that you're in pain and I can do something to relieve that. Let's just do it now so we can get on with our day."

Suddenly there was a loud noise from the other side of the locker. Orihime looked questioningly at Ulquiorra and then they both walked around to see what had happened. Sitting on the ground in a daze was Asano. A thin trickle of blood ran from his nose.

"Asano-san are you alright?" Orihime asked concerned for the boy.

Keigo only moaned something incomprehensible

"Keigo forgot something in his locker." Kojima started. "When he heard you talking he began to eavesdrop…"

"I was not eavesdropping on their conversation." Asano whined.

Kojima handed his friend a tissue and then continued, "Keigo has a very active imagination…"

"Dere wud nuddin to imagine!" he replied as he held the tissue to his nose. "I know wud dey were talkin aboud."

Orihime brought her hand to her mouth. How was she going to explain her abilities to Asano? It was best that only her closest friends knew the truth.

"Oh no." she began. "You must have misunderstood."

"No need to explain Inoue-san." Kojima said in a soothing voice. "It would seem that Keigo has this idea that you and Cifer-san are an item."

"An item?" Ulquiorra interrupted.

"Yes, a couple. You know romantically linked." Kojima responded. Orihime blushed furiously as he continued. "Though I have to apologize for my friend. He seems to have the wrong impression of you Inoue-san. Knowing how honorable a girl you are he should never have jumped to such conclusions."

A look of confusion spread across her face. What was he talking about? Ulquiorra though stepped forward, and kneeling down, grabbed Asano by the collar.

"I thought I warned you before not to speak such things about Inoue."

Asano tried to shrink back into the locker.

"I didin hear nuddin!" he cried.

"Make sure you story never changes." He said and then released him. Rising to his feet he turned to Orihime. "We should go."

She was still unsure of what had just happened, but she felt it was best if they left.

"I hope your nose is ok Asano-san." She said as they left.

"Oh he'll be fine Inoue-san. I'll see to it." Kojima said as he waved goodbye.

When they were out of earshot she sighed and whispered, "Boy I was worried that he had found out about my healing abilities."

Ulquiorra only stared at her.

"Still we should take care of you."

She walked over to a bench along the back wall behind the lockers. Sitting down she patted the place beside her. Ulquiorra remained in his place. She patted the spot with a little more emphasis. Still he refused.

"Ulquiorra!" she said forcibly.

He stared at her for a moment longer and then sighed. "You are the most stubborn woman."

"I'd have to be to deal with you. Now sit still, this will only take a few minutes."

* * *

Ulquiorra sat still as Orihime tended to his injuries. He had seen her heal before, but this was the first time he had experienced it so close, at least that he was conscious for. She stared intently at his side, but began to strike up a conversation.

"Tatsuki was pretty banged up too. I took care of her last night so it's only fair that I get you as well." She paused for a moment and then continued, "Of course I'll have to leave your face. People would definitely ask questions if you suddenly had no bruises or cuts."

He sat silently listening to her ramble on. His earlier worries that she would not want to speak with him were dismissed. Though admittedly her aloof behavior this morning had given him some cause for alarm, it was obvious now that she was as comfortable as before around him.

"…so that's when I discovered that you can still get a sunburn even in the winter. I don't go anywhere without my lotion, and most importantly my lip block. Rangiku bought me some really good stuff. It's flavored to taste just like strawberries. Of course I like to mix it with the chocolate one because it tastes so good when I lick my lips…"

What was she talking about and how had she even gotten onto this train of thought? The girl was still such a mystery to him. Her naivety could be a blessing at times. He was certain that she completely misunderstood Asano's earlier thoughts about their conversation. If she knew the truth she would probably hide in her apartment for a week.

"Ok, all done. How does that feel?" she asked him.

He stretched his side carefully and then, feeling more comfortable, took a deep breath. It was then that he was struck by a foul odor somewhere close to them.

"Something isn't right." He said.

"Oh no are you still in pain?" she asked concerned.

"No my side is fine, but there is a horrible smell coming from somewhere near us."

He got to his feet and began to search for the offensive odor. Stooping down he found a bag on the floor by Inoue's belongings. He picked it up and inhaled deeply. The noxious smell made him gag.

"This would be the culprit." He said as he gasped for fresh air.

"That's my lunch silly." Orihime said as she grabbed the bag from him. Catching a good whiff though she quickly held it at arms length away. "Whew, I was in such a rush this morning that I just grabbed some leftovers. I guess they were spoiled."

He grabbed the bag from her and placed it in a trash can a good distance from where there were.

"Hey that's my lunch!" she called out.

"You cannot eat such a foul meal."

"It's all I brought and I skipped breakfast this morning."

As if to emphasize her point her stomach began to growl loudly. Blushing she wrapped her arms around herself to quell the noise.

Ulquiorra walked back over to her and said, "That food would make you sick. You can share mine. I know for a fact that it is very nutritious and tastes good."

"I can't let you do that. You'll be hungry."

"I will be fine." he said as he straddled the bench that they had been sitting on earlier. "Come and sit woman."

She remained where she was torn between going to him and refusing his command.

"Do not be so stubborn. I know that you are hungry. I can still hear your stomach growling."

"Ok I'll share with you, but just a little bit." She said as she moved to sit across from him.

He laid the bento container on the bench and unwrapped the cloth from around it. As he opened the lid Orihime let out a gasp of delight.

"Oh it's so cute!"

"Food is not cute." He replied.

She reached in and picked up a tiny hotdog shaped like an octopus.

"This is cute. Oh how can you even eat such a thing?" She proceeded to take the octopus shaped hotdog that was in her hand and in a squeaky voice continued, "Please Ulquiorra-san don't eat me. I just want to be free to live in the ocean with all the other fish all happy and playing games."

He stared at her as if she had lost her mind. "Is this how you behaved with your food in Hueco Mundo once I left you alone?"

"Oh please," she said waving her free hand in dismissal of his question. "The food in Hueco Mundo was never fun like this."

"So if I had had them create little animal characters from the food, I would not have had to be so forceful with you?"

She paused for a moment, and then holding the octopus in front of her face, resumed her animated voice and said, "Orihime will eat anything if she is hungry enough, Ulquiorra-san. Even though the food in Hueco Mundo was horrible and boring, she would have eaten if she hadn't been so worried about her friends."

"I see." He said as he picked up the chopsticks.

Her face dropped at his comment and she reached out and placed her other hand on his wrist.

"It's ok Ulquiorra. Hueco Mundo is behind us. I was just kidding around with you."

He looked at her and said, "I should be the one apologizing."

He quickly moved his hand from hers and reached out with the chop sticks towards the octopus.

"Are you going to eat that or continue to play?"

"I couldn't possibly eat it."

He grabbed it with the chop sticks and brought it to his mouth. "Nutrients shouldn't be wasted, no matter how fun you may find them."

With that he plopped the hotdog into his mouth.

"Ulquiorra how could you. Poor little octopus."

He selected a piece of the salmon and brought it up to her mouth. "Just eat."

She eyed him for a moment and then opened her mouth allowing him to feed her. Her eyes went wide and as soon as she finished swallowing she exclaimed, "This is great! Do you eat like this everyday?"

He nodded his head as he ate some of the boiled egg from the box. Picking some more of the egg up in his chopsticks he brought it for her to eat.

"Tsukabishi-san makes lunch for the children each day. I suppose it was natural for him to make one for me as well once I started school."

This made her giggle.

"You find that funny?"

"No it's just so sweet."

"Sweet?"

She nodded her head and said, "It's like one big, happy family. I think it must be so much fun living there with all those people around."

He dug out another piece of salmon and as he fed it to her said, "If by fun you mean absolutely no respect for a person's privacy and constant harassment, then you would love it."

She laughed at his remark and said, "Oh come on it can't be that bad."

"Last night they had me strip at the door so I would not drip water all over the floors that Jinta had just mopped."

"Well that makes sense." She said trying to stifle a laugh.

"I am not surprised that you would agree." he said and then took a moment to feed her some rice from his meal. Picking up some more for himself he continued, "The girl Ururu is the only one with the least bit of compassion. She at least gave me a towel to dry my hair and body."

"I don't know, it seems like teasing is something that family members do to each other. It's how they show they care about you."

"That does not make sense to me. I thought a home was a place where one feels love and receives compassion?"

"Well yeah, but not all homes are the same."

"So then when Jinta laughs at my injuries because I got my 'ass kicked' by a mere human, he is just expressing his concern for my well being?"

"Um, I don't know. I guess. I mean little brothers can be like that, or so I've heard."

"So was that what it was like for you with your family?" he asked.

"My family was not very typical." She said and then looked away.

He sensed that he had touched on something that she was not comfortable discussing.

"I have said something to upset you." He stated.

She turned back to him and waving her hands in front of her said, "No, no, it's really no big deal. Actually I lived most of my life with my big brother Sora. He cared for me since I was three years old."

So Sora had been her brother. No wonder his death and transformation had been so traumatic for her.

"Why did your brother raise you?"

"My parents were not exactly good parents. My dad drank a lot and was violent and my mother, well she did what she could to make ends meet. Neither was very kind. When Sora was old enough to leave he did, and being such a great big brother he took me with him. He gave up a lot to take care of me, but he never complained.

"When he died I was so lost without him." She paused and wiped her eyes. "Now though I know that he is in the Soul Society where he is most likely very happy."

He sat quietly for a moment thinking about what she had said. He understood that she was sharing something very personal to her, and if he wanted to build a friendship with her he should open up in kind, but it felt awkward. Remembering his past had been painful, the emotions it created were so new, that he wasn't sure how to talk about it with her.

Weighing his response carefully he confided, "You were right yesterday when you said that your brother remembered you. It is possible. My memories of my previous life before have begun to return as well."

Her eyes grew wide at his revelation.

"That's wonderful," she began, but looking more intently at him asked, "Isn't it?"

"I suppose. Obviously the reason for my hollowfication lies in my past. I'm not sure if I really want to relive that again."

"You don't remember becoming hollow?"

"It happened more than a century ago. I've forgotten most of the details."

"Over a hundred years?" She made a face and continued, "That's an awful long time to live in Hueco Mundo. It must have been so dull and boring. No wonder you never smiled."

"I do not believe that life as a hollow was meant to be enjoyable."

"You may be right there, but still that's a long time to go without having fun."

Suddenly her expression brightened and she began to smile.

"I know, we'll just have to make up for lost time."

"Lost time?"

"Yes, lost time. It's an expression. All that time in Hueco Mundo when you could have been having fun, you were too busy killing other hollows and helping Aizen destroy the world. But now that you're here with us you can concentrate on having fun again. I'll just have to make sure to cram in more exciting things than usual to make up for the time when you were a hollow."

Her explanation made absolutely no sense to him, and he was a little worried about what she would consider 'fun things' to be. She however was oblivious to his confusion.

"We should definitely try karaoke. Everyone likes to do that. And of course since you're a boy you'll most likely want to play sports or go to some games. Video games can be fun too and you can even fight and kill people, but it's all pretend…"

She continued to cite all her plans, but he had stopped really listening to what she was saying. He watched as her lips kept moving and wondered when she would stop to take a breath. It amazed him that she had so much to say. In Las Noches she never spoke unless she had a question or wanted to refute something that he had said. He wondered that if she had been this talkative would Aizen have ordered her execution earlier.

"…of course you don't have to dress up if you want to. Some people just really get into it…"

"Orihime?"

They both turned as Tatsuki spoke.

"Tatsuki-chan! Hey, we were just eating lunch." Inoue said.

Arisawa gave him a quick glance, and then said to Orihime, "What happened to your lunch?"

"Well I was rushing this morning and just grabbed what I could from the fridge, but it was spoiled. So Ulquiorra threw it away. Then he said I could share his lunch, but I said no, but he insisted. And it was so cute and delicious…"

"It's almost time for class." She interrupted. "Are you ready to head back."

"Wow, is it that late?" Orihime said jumping to her feet.

"I didn't think you'd want to be late after this morning" Tatsuki said.

"Oh no, that was embarrassing enough."

She reached down and grabbed her belongings.

He began to pack up what was left of his lunch and then stood. He figured that Arisawa would still be angry about the previous afternoon, so he quietly made his way for his locker. Opening the door, he placed the bento container inside.

"Hey Cifer." Tatsuki began. As he turned around she tossed something at him. "I don't like to be indebted to people."

He looked down and noticed a new gym shirt.

"Tatsuki that was so nice of you." Orihime said.

Considering how she had destroyed the last one, he wouldn't have been surprised if this one suddenly exploded in his hands.

"Wasn't that nice Ulquiorra?" she asked.

Looking at Tatsuki he said, "It was not necessary." Her expression began to darken and he heard Inoue let out a small squeak. Realizing that he had done something wrong he added, "But I am grateful."

Orihime smiled and Tatsuki seemed to relax. The girls waited as he closed up his locker. As they walked back to class Tatsuki said, "Don't think this means that I want to be friends."

"I would never assume such a thing." He replied.

He could feel her stare and turned to acknowledge her.

"Orihime told me everything." She said softly. "Even though I still think you're an asshole, I guess I'm thankful that you got her back safely."

"Well that's a start isn't it?" Orihime said anxiously.

Tatsuki started to laugh.

"No one sees the world quite like you, do they Orihime."

She shrugged her shoulders at her friend's remark and laughed nervously.

"I guess I'm just one of a kind." She said and smiled.

He wondered if she realized just how true that statement was. In all his life, living and dead, he had never met someone quite like her. She had every reason to hate him, and yet she had given him a second chance. And now she seemed determined that he would enjoy this life as well. Knowing just how stubborn she could be, it was inevitable, he thought. Strangely though the idea didn't bother him near as much as it had before.

* * *

**A.N.** Whew! That was harder than I thought. The first half flew by, but then I lost direction, and couldn't make it work. I wanted everything to stay light, but I still wanted a little substance. After scrapping about three different ideas I went with what you see. I hope you liked it.

I am glad to finally be getting to the fluff. I envisioned this chapter from the beginning and couldn't wait to write it. There will be more fluff, but the plot begins to take shape a little more from here.

I couldn't resist the octopus seems like every anime lunch has one, and somehow the thought of Orihime playing with the food seemed very natural.

This week was one of the crappiest on record for me. I hope to not let it slow me down, but I can't promise that it won't. Still I do have a long weekend so who knows.

Please let me know what you thought. The reviews really do keep me going. Thanks to all who have responded.


	13. Chapter 13

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

******

Chapter 13

Orihime was a girl with a mission, and that mission was to show a certain former Espada that life in the World of the Living could be fun. Unfortunately her best friend Tatsuki had become the greatest obstacle in her path towards achieving that goal. She had begun to walk with Orihime to school in the mornings, making her time with Ulquiorra before class very awkward. And at lunch she made sure that they were always surrounded by other girls from the class explaining that it was better for Ulquiorra to adjust to human life if he spent more time with the boys.

The only time she left Orihime to her own devices was after school. Tatsuki was busy with the Karate Club, especially now that she was preparing for a tournament. Unfortunately Orihime also had clubs after school, and with exams coming soon, she was busy trying to cram due to all the time she had been away.

As a result she had not been able to spend any time with Ulquiorra in over a week. But today that was going to change. She had made up her mind that she was going to get him to smile and enjoy himself, and nothing was going to stand in her way any longer. Catching sight of him she hurried down the hall.

"Ulquiorra!" she yelled as she began to lose him in the crowd of students.

He stopped and turned. She continued her quick pace excited to finally be able to be alone with him when her feet got tangled together and she tripped. She let out a yelp as her book bag went flying. Her hands flew out in front of her body to brace herself from the impact of the hard floor, but when she finally made contact it was with something a lot softer.

Ulquiorra's eyes grew wide as he realized the impact was inevitable. She slammed into him with enough force to send them both falling to the floor. He let out a grunt as she landed on top of him.

With her face only inches from his he said, "I would have waited for you woman. Tackling me was unnecessary."

She blushed furiously. Quickly she sat up. Rubbing the back of her neck she said with embarrassment, "I tripped."

"I see." He responded.

"Well at least now I have your full attention." She said with a nervous laugh.

Around her she heard the gasps and murmurings of the various students who had witnessed the whole event. It was then that she realized that she was still positioned on top of him.

"It would seem that you are creating quite the scandal." He said making no effort to move her.

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed as she jumped off of him. Looking at the students gathered around them she said hurriedly, "I… this isn't what it seems… I mean I was just trying to get his attention… I haven't been able to be alone with him in over a week… I guess I was just excited to see him…"

Ulquiorra stood and dusted himself off.

Looking at her he said, "Enough woman. You are doing more harm than good."

Then turning to the students that were mumbling amongst themselves he said, "Inoue-san tripped. She is obviously embarrassed by the whole ordeal and is not thinking clearly. I am sure that you all understand that and will refrain from any damaging gossip."

Everyone took a slight step back at the intimidating sound of his voice. He continued to stare at them until finally, one by one they all walked away, leaving them alone in the hallway.

Ulquiorra began to collect their belongings which were scattered around them on the floor. She was amazed that he could be so unaffected by the whole incident. She was still mortified.

When he had finished he handed her back her book bag and said, "So we are finally alone."

This caused her to blush again. She knew that Ulquiorra could sound intimidating at times, but honestly she found his voice to be mesmerizing. There was something about the deep tone that made her stomach flip flop. Of course it wasn't always that way. In Hueco Mundo his voice had only served to unnerve her. She had wished for nothing more than to silence it. Now though she found that it had the opposite effect. Just listening to him speak calmed her, yet somehow left her excited as well.

How was that even possible she mused? Could one be calm and excited at the same time? It made no sense. But then she was never known for her ability to make sense out of things. Maybe it was some sort of weird defect in her character. Tatsuki would probably just tell her it was due to something she ate.

Still this flip flopping reaction was not something new to her. She had felt it before whenever Ichigo would talk to her. Only now it was Ulquiorra. Come to think of it she couldn't remember the last time Ichigo's voice had actually caused her to react this way. Could it mean that possibly her feelings for Ichigo had changed? And if she wasn't feeling all flip floppy around Ichigo, but was around Ulquiorra, could that mean that she was beginning to feel about him like she used to feel about Ichigo?

"Inoue?" he interrupted her thoughts.

She startled and said, "Oh Ulquiorra. I forgot you were here."

"We were in the middle of a conversation." He stated.

"I know. I mean I didn't really forget you were there. I was just thinking and kind of spaced out, but now I'm back. So anyways you were saying?"

"We are finally alone."

"Oh yeah, alone." She replied.

"I assume we have a limited amount of time before Arisawa joins us." He stated.

"Tatsuki? Naw, she has a tournament this weekend. She'll be away until Sunday night, which means that I can have you all to myself for the entire weekend."

He raised his eyebrow slightly at her comment.

"You know to show you a good time?"

He only remained staring at her.

"Since we need to make up for lost time." she said exasperated. "Come on, you must remember our conversation from last week."

"You wish to sing karaoke and play video games?"

"Karaoke isn't any fun with just two people, and the arcade can be so loud."

"So what are you proposing?" he asked.

She smiled brightly with excitement said, "Something very fun!"

He stared at her waiting for more of an explanation.

"I'm not saying anything else because it is a surprise, but I know that you will enjoy it."

"And it will only be the two of us?" he asked.

"Just you and me." She replied.

"But you refuse to say exactly what we will be doing."

"No, but I'll give you a clue," she said. "It will involve some physical exertion and requires a constant, rhythmic motion."

She noticed that his mask of indifference slipped slightly at her hint. She could have sworn she noticed a slight red stain color his cheeks. But that would have been impossible. She had seen him lose his cool before, but that had been in frustration and anger. Ulquiorra blushing from embarrassment, well the idea was absolutely ludicrous.

* * *

Ulquiorra stood in front of the swing set in the middle of the park. The place was deserted. No sane parent would allow their child to come out to play in this cold weather. Orihime stood next to him beaming with satisfaction. When she had given him a hint as to what her plans were he honestly never even considered this. What had flashed across his mind had been slightly more provocative, but knowing Inoue had been quickly dismissed. After all the girl was in love with Kurosaki; her remarks were nothing but innocent blunders that could be easy misconstrued by anyone who was not in her close circle of friends.

"Surprise!" she exclaimed.

"You wish to swing." He replied emotionlessly.

"Yes," she responded. "You do know how don't you?"

"I was once a small child."

For some reason his response made her giggle.

"You can still swing even if you are not a kid anymore. It's perfectly acceptable."

He only stared at her reply.

Shifting her feet she continued, "They wouldn't design them to carry the weight of adults if they were not to be used by them."

With that she walked over to the nearest swing and hopped on.

"Come on Ulquiorra. It'll be fun."

"I have no desire to act so juvenile." He said.

She sighed and then said, "Suit yourself, but I am going to have fun, with or without you!"

That said she began to pump her legs and move back and forth, higher into the air. He was thankful that she had taken to wearing tights during the cold weather, otherwise he would have been privy to seeing a little more of her than she probably intended. Since becoming human he had noticed, much to his displeasure, that it took considerably more effort to control his thoughts when it came to matters of a sexual nature.

Nnoitra would laugh at him if he were still alive. The Fifth Espada had always enjoyed shocking him with his crude, sexual humor. He only found this situation embarrassing. It was disturbing that he had such little control over the way his body reacted to certain words or images. He understood that this was the way it was for human males of his physical age, but he felt that he was above such base behavior.

"Ulquiorra!" Inoue called to him. "You are being extremely stubborn. Come on and at least give it a try. I promise you that you'll have fun."

He stared at her for a moment longer and then slowly made his way over to the empty swing beside hers. Sitting down he debated doing such a childish thing as swinging. He had done it when he was young, but that had been another lifetime ago.

Still Orihime seemed to be enjoying herself, and he had been looking for a way to spend some time alone with her. Even if this was not what he had envisioned, he could still make the best of it.

Looking at Inoue he pushed off from the ground and began to pump his legs. In no time he had caught up with her.

"See, I knew you could do it. Admit it," she smiled, "you're enjoying it."

"It is childish."

"Still you're enjoying it. I can tell. I can see that smile trying to get out." She teased.

"I am not trying to smile." He replied. "It is just the cold air hitting my face that is making me wince."

"That's not a wince." She continued. "You're smiling. Admit it, it's fun."

He gave her no response, but just continued to pump his legs. Ignoring him she began to talk some more.

"When I was younger I used to think that if I pumped hard enough that I could sail over the top and make a complete loop with the swing."

"That would be physically impossible." He stated.

"That's what Sora used to say as well, but I still believed I could do it."

He stared straight ahead. An image from his past suddenly began to form in his mind.

"_Chichi higher!"_

"_Too high and you'll wrap around the branch." His father teased as he pushed him harder._

_Daisuke giggled at his father's remark. As he soared higher towards the sky he imagined that he could fly._

"_Someday," he said excitedly, "I am going to grow wings and fly through the sky with the birds."_

_"Just remember to return home in the evening or else your mother will worry."_

_"Don't be silly," he replied. "If I could fly I would take you and mother with me and we would leave this farm and explore the world!"_

_"Sounds exciting." His father said. _

_"Just wait. Somehow I'll figure a way!" he said with a smile._

"Ulquiorra?" Inoue's voice broke through his memories.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he noticed that he had lost momentum and was slowly coming to a stop. Orihime sat with her legs still. She stared at him with concern on her face.

"You kind of drifted off there for a moment."

"I was remembering my father." He said simply.

"Oh." She responded. Then her face lifted and she smiled encouragingly. "Was it a good memory?"

He thought about it and said, "He built a swing for me when I was very young." Letting his mind drift back to the scene that had just played out he continued, "I used to dream about growing wings so that I could fly."

This caused her to smile even wider.

"That's kind of ironic." She started but then grew silent.

Gazing at her he said, "You mean because of my release form."

She looked down and her smile disappeared. "I'm sorry."

"There is no need to apologize."

"But I wanted this to be fun. I didn't want to remind you of your life as a hollow."

"I may no longer be hollow, but that life is as much a part of who I am as my life before I died."

"I guess." She said.

Looking at her he said, "Woman you fret too much."

And with that he began to pump his legs again. The swing climbed higher as he put more force into his actions. From below him he heard her laugh and then watched as she began to move again. Soon they were swinging at an equal height. Their movements becoming synchronized.

"Hey look, we're twins!" she said excitedly.

"Twins?" he asked.

"Well that's what I call it. It just means that we're in sync with each other. Our souls are in harmony, or at least that's what I used to think when I was little."

"And now?"

She blushed slightly and said, "I still believe it."

In that moment she pushed slightly ahead as he fell slightly behind. He supposed that moments of harmony couldn't last forever. Still it gave him a odd feeling in the core of his being. The desire to connect with her was stronger than it had ever been. Trying to regain the moment he continued to push himself to swing faster.

They continued in a comfortable silence for awhile until Orihime ceased pumping and said, "I'm a little winded and very cold."

When they had both touched the ground again she looked at him and said, "I really missed spending time with you this week. I'm glad we could do this."

"Your choice of activities was a little unconventional," he began but noticing the eager look on her face he continued, "Still I have enjoyed myself."

Her face brightened considerably.

"I knew you would! I figured that if we started with the basics, you know things you do when you're a kid, we could work our way into more adult activities."

Once again her choice of words caused his mind to drift towards more disreputable thoughts. He wondered if she even realized how easily her words could be misconstrued.

Unable to stop himself he asked, "More adult activities?"

"Yeah like going to the movies or the amusement park."

"What is an amusement park?"

Her eyes lit up with excitement as she said, "It's a huge park that is filled with thrill rides that scare you and make you laugh all at the same time! But that's not even the best part. There are games to play for prizes and lots of sweet, tasty treats. We could spend the whole day there and never run out of things to do"

He stared at her trying to envision this place that she was describing.

"Of course we can't go until the weather warms up again. Right now we'll have to settle for other activities."

"Like swinging,"

"Well if you liked it that much." She teased.

Suddenly she jumped off her swing and tilted her head to the sky. She gazed up for a moment and then turned to him.

"It's snowing!" she exclaimed. "Oh this is perfect. Maybe if we're lucky it'll stick and then we can really have fun tomorrow."

She tilted her head back up again and stuck her tongue out.

"What are you doing?" he asked perplexed by her strange actions.

Closing her mouth she turned to him again and smiled.

"Fresh snow always tastes the best."

"It is only frozen water. It has no taste."

"Then you have obviously never tried it before."

"I do not need to try it to know what it will taste like."

"I'm no longer listening to you about this unless you give it a try."

With that she stared back up into the sky, closed her eyes, and stuck out her tongue once more.

"You do realize that there are most likely toxins and other pollutants from the air mixed in with that snow." He stated.

She only made a sing-song noise and continued to catch the snowflakes on her tongue.

"If you do that long enough you will get a chill."

She still continued to ignore him.

Realizing that she was not going to budge, he stood up and walked over to her.

"You are the most stubborn woman I have ever known."

She still ignored him.

He knew that arguing was pointless. Might as well give in to her demands and end this foolishness. Tilting his head back he mimicked her actions. The cold flakes landed on his tongue and instantly melted.

"Water." He said matter-of-factly.

She turned to him and smiled.

"That is only because you lack imagination." She said with a giggle.

"Imagination does not flavor snow."

"You would be surprised." She said.

He only stared at her and thought about how truly odd her thought patterns were. Even more strange was the fact that he found that quality somehow endearing. That made him pause. When had her little quirks ceased to annoy him and become something else entirely? Was this a natural outcome of building a friendship with her? Did becoming friends with someone mean overlooking their faults and enjoying their company anyway?

And what about these new feelings of sexual attraction; as far as he could tell they would only complicate matters. He already found it very distracting at times and made it hard to focus on the topic at hand. More unsettling was that it was only Inoue that invoked these feelings in him. None of the other girls at school could distract him like she could.

Suddenly her hand waved before his face.

"Ulquiorra?" she asked as she continued waving her hand.

He blinked and focused his attention on her.

"Flashback?" she asked as she dropped her hand to her side.

"Flashback?" he responded and then continued, "I was only thinking how odd we must look."

"Really," she said, but he sensed that she knew he was lying. "Well I for one don't care about that. In fact I think if more people would loosen up and enjoy the simple pleasures in life, there would be less stress and fighting."

"So this would then be your plan to end the struggles amongst the different peoples of your world? Maybe have all the leaders come together in a field and eat fresh snowflakes?"

"Exactly; see now you get it!" She said with excitement.

He watched as her expression changed and he knew that she had followed the train of thought into a daydream. Instead of interrupting her musings, he simply watched her. She smiled wistfully as she envisioned the scenario play out in her mind.

He couldn't help but become distracted by the slight smile on her lips. Suddenly he had the urge to simply reach out and trace her smile gently with his fingers.

Not trusting himself he shoved his hands into his pockets and said rather brusquely, "Woman it is too cold to stand out here daydreaming."

She blinked her eyes and looked at him. Her smile faded at the harshness of his words.

"I suppose so." She said. The excitement was gone from her voice momentarily, but then she perked up and said, "Tomorrow though we can dress warmly and enjoy the snow without any worries."

"So you have already decided on our plans?"

"Maybe; just make sure you wear gloves. Snow can be really cold after a while."

"That is obvious."

This brought a laugh from her.

"I should walk you home. It is starting to get dark." He said as he walked over to where their book bags were and picked them up.

"I can carry mine." She said as she put out her hand to take the bag.

"It is not necessary. I can easily carry both."

"Ok." She said and fell into step beside him.

As they walked to her apartment she talked in a steady stream about the various businesses they passed. She remarked about the different shops, and gave her opinion of the best places to get food. He listened halfheartedly. His thoughts were still on his reaction earlier in the park.

When they arrived at her home she turned to him and said, "So I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I will be here in my warmest clothes."

She smiled and said, "It's going to be even more fun than today."

With that she ran up the stairs to her apartment. Once at the top she waved enthusiastically to him.

"See you tomorrow!"

He waved back and remained where he was until she was safely inside. Then he turned and began his walk home. Their afternoon together had been a strange one, and he could only imagine what tomorrow held in store for him. Knowing Inoue it would not be typical of most teenagers they knew, but surprisingly that thought did not bother him in the least.

* * *

**A.N. **So ends my creative constipation (or at least I hope). This chapter was almost painful to write at times and left me completely frustrated on many evenings. I don't know what to blame the block on, but I could not make anything work. With that said, I am not sure how I feel about submitting it. I needed to move them along in the relationship, but I don't know if it worked or not.

I can't promise the next chapter any sooner. I am rethinking a little of the plot and possibly introducing characters that I didn't originally plan to, but I think will work better as the story progresses.

As for the opening of this chapter - I have a favorite picture by **Rusky-Boz** titled _Patience is a Virtue_. It is so sexy and reminds me that eventually this story will get there! I know Orihime's awkward trip ended up nothing like the picture, but I can't help but feel that her drawing inspired it in some way. At least it got me through the block. If you haven't already favorited it go to Deviant Art and look her up. You won't be disappointed!

I want to thank those who reviewed the last chapter. **Hinodeh** left me with some ideas for including Asano in a scene I hadn't planned on, but makes the story work better so thank you. As for the **NoName** reviewer - I appreciate your review even if your English is limited. All input is helpful. And of course **Pardon the Insanity **keeps me going with indepth reviews and encouragement. And **Kavyle** - I am glad you liked the perverted side of Keigo. I love him and really enjoy writing him in this story.

Last of all - this story got nominated in the category of best inprogress fanfics of 2009 at the UFO awards. Thanks to whoever nominated and seconded. If you want to vote you can go to the site starting March 1st.

Hoped you enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know.


	14. Chapter 14

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Orihime entered her house only to be accosted by the smell of burnt food coming from her kitchen. She didn't remember leaving anything cooking this morning when she left, but what other reason could there be for the awful smell. It wasn't like a burglar would sneak into her apartment only to burn her food that was set aside for dinner. Rather than think of the possible dangers that could await her she walked towards the kitchen to see what was going on.

"Orihime!"

She gasped as a figure came up beside her and enveloped her in a tight hug.

"They really should let you out of that school at a more respectable hour. I had this meal ready almost two hours ago."

"Rangiku-san?" she grunted.

Matsumoto released her and stood back slightly smiling.

"Oh just look at you. One would never know that it was only a month ago that you were rescued from that horrible place and Aizen's clutches." She said in a rush.

Orihime couldn't help but blush at her friend's remarks.

"I knew that you would never defect to Aizen's side, but it was so frustrating to be forced back to the Soul Society after we discovered you were gone. I guess Captain Yamamoto must have planned on Ichigo going to Hueco Mundo to rescue you. Still he could have let us in on that small detail." She pouted. "It would have made things a lot more bearable initially. Still here you are no worse for wear."

She nodded in agreement and said, "I am glad to see that you are well also. Yoruichi-san told me about your injuries. I wish I could have been there to help."

Matsumoto waved her hand in dismissal of Orihime's comment.

"You were where you needed to be. Besides it would seem that Hueco Mundo was a much safer place for you than Karakura Town. Nothing too eventful besides the defeat of seven of Aizen's Espada." She said with a wink.

Orihime smiled and said nervously, "Yeah nothing but that. So I guess the Soul Society has nothing to worry about now that they're all gone."

Matsumoto sighed and said, "There is always something going on in the Soul Society. It really is beginning to interfere with my sleep."

Orihime laughed and asked, "So are you here on business?"

"Not really," she began. "Ikkaku and Yumichika had an assignment, something about unusual spirit energy, so I told Captain Hitsugaya that I should go with them. That way I could check on you and make sure that you had settled back into your routine without any complications. Now that I'm here I can see that everything is just fine, so instead we can spend tomorrow shopping!"

"Oh." Orihime replied. It was hard to keep the disappointment from her voice. She had promised to spend the weekend with Ulquiorra, and quite honestly she was looking forward to it. But she hadn't visited with Rangiku in so long and would love to spend time with her as well.

"Huh?" Rangiku asked. "You don't already have plans do you?"

"Well," she began uneasily, "I do sort of…"

"With that karate friend of yours?"

"No she's at a tournament."

"Ishida-san?"

"No…"

"Ah is it Kurosaki-san then?" she asked with a little more excitement.

Orihime couldn't help but blush at Rangiku's question.

"No, it's someone you haven't met." At least she hoped so. It would really be bad if Matsumoto recognized Ulquiorra. Maybe it would be best to cancel out with him.

"Oh a new friend. Is it a boy friend?"

"Yes, I mean no, I mean he is a boy and he is a friend, but he not my boyfriend." She said in an embarrassed rush.

"So he is a new friend that is a boy, and you have plans to spend time alone with him this weekend?"

"Yes exactly."

"Sounds a little romantic to me."

"No," she exclaimed waving her hands in front of her. "It's not like that. I just want to show him a good time…"

Rangiku raised her eyebrow.

"No I don't mean _that_. I mean he used to live in a place where there wasn't anything fun to do, so I am showing him around and making sure he enjoys himself."

Rangiku still continued to look at her with a puzzled expression.

"So," she began after a moment, "Is this new friend that is a boy, cute?"

Orihime's eyes grew wide. Ulquiorra cute? She hadn't really thought about it, but lately she had noticed that she couldn't stop staring at him in class. Could she be attracted to him?

"Well a lot of the girls in class seem to like him."

"But do _you_ think he's cute?"

"Um," she said as she bit her lower lip. "He has really pretty green eyes. And his voice…"

"Yes."

"Well it is deep and …" she stopped again.

Would Rangiku understand about how his voice could calm and excite her at the same time?"

Bowing her head she said in a whisper, "It kind of makes my stomach flip flop."

"Ahh… well…"

Orihime looked up at her friend.

"Is that a bad thing?" she asked.

"Bad, oh no, not in the least," Rangiku replied.

"Have you ever felt that way around a guy before?" she asked.

"Me," she began and then paused to think. A small, wistful smile graced her face. "Once, a long time ago."

"Really?" Orihime asked excitedly.

"Yes," Rangiku said and then looking intently at Orihime continued, "It would seem to me that you like this guy."

"Like Ulquiorra-san? Oh no, I mean he's my friend, and I enjoy spending time with him, and he makes me laugh…"

"Say no more." Her friend said. Suddenly her expression changed slightly and she asked, "What about Kurosaki-san? Does he make your stomach flip flop?"

Orihime felt her cheeks redden and said softly, "He used to, but I haven't noticed it as much lately."

"Not since this boy, Ulquiorra you say, came to school?"

"I guess."

This caused Rangiku to smile again.

"Now the more important question is whether or not his stomach gets all flip floppy when he spends time with you."

"Ulquiorra-san is not the kind of guy who would get a flip floppy stomach."

"Really? Well I'll just have to be the judge of that."

"What do you mean?"

"He's coming over tomorrow?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"Good, I look forward to meeting him."

"I don't know. Maybe it would be best if I cancel."

"No you won't. I want to meet the boy who has replaced Kurosaki Ichigo in my little Orihime's heart."

This caused Orihime to blush a deep scarlet. Her worries about whether or not Rangiku would realize that Ulquiorra used to be an Espada, were replaced by the fear that her friend would completely embarrass her by exposing her feelings to him.

"Now," Matsumoto said, "Since dinner is a little over cooked, how about we order out?"

* * *

A deep blanket of snow covered Karakura Town. Ulquiorra made the trek to Orihime's apartment wondering just what _fun_ activities she had in store for them today. Knocking on her door he waited for her to answer.

From inside the apartment he heard a voice call out, "Don't worry Orihime, I'll get it."

The door opened and he was greeted by the sight of a ginger-haired woman with enormous breasts. She smiled warmly at him and said, "So you must be Ulquiorra. Orihime told me all about you last night. I'm a friend of hers from out of town, Matsumoto Rangiku"

He couldn't help but be surprised. Matsumoto was the lieutenant of the 10th Division of the Gotei 13. Though he knew that she and Inoue were close, he had not even considered the possibility of running into her, at least not this soon after becoming human.

She stared intently at him and he wondered if maybe she knew who he really was, but when she spoke again he found his fears were completely off base.

"Orihime wasn't kidding. You do have really pretty, green eyes."

Her remark caused him slight discomfort, and he was shocked to feel a heat creep into his cheeks.

"Am I embarrassing you?" she asked, but continued on not waiting for him to reply, "That is so cute. Yes, so far I like what I see."

He couldn't help but back away slightly at her remark. He knew about Matsumoto. She was most likely the only true friend that Gin Ichimaru had ever had, so he had spent much time investigating her. He knew that she liked to drink, a lot, and she was not averse to throwing around her charms, as well as her ample cleavage, at the men that she encountered.

"Oh come on, I'm not going to eat you," she said and then added with a wink, "yet."

His eyes opened wide in shock at her words, but he barely had time to form a response when she grabbed his arm and pulled him into Orihime's apartment. Slamming the door behind him she turned and smiled. Reaching towards him she pulled the woolen cap from his head.

"Mmm, very different from Kurosaki-san." She thought aloud. "Still dark hair can be very attractive."

For some reason her statement bothered him more than anything else she had said. He did not like being compared to Kurosaki, especially when it came to Orihime's affections. He reached forward and grabbed his hat back from the Shinigami.

"Are you finished with your assessment or should I strip naked so you can get an even better look." He said. It was hard to keep the anger from his voice.

It was her turn to be surprised. She stared at him for a moment with a slightly shocked expression on her face. Suddenly she smiled and burst into laughter.

"Oh I definitely like what I see." She said and then turning towards the bathroom yelled, "Orihime your friend is here!"

Inoue came rushing out; her toothbrush still in her hands.

"Ulquiorra, I didn't quite expect you yet. Rangiku-san and I were up late, and then we slept in, and I told her not to answer the door, but I guess she didn't listen…"

"Oh come on, I was just trying to get an unbiased feel for your friend." She pouted.

"I was unaware that you were going to have a houseguest." He stated.

She smiled awkwardly and said, "Neither did I. Rangiku-san was here when I got home, but I haven't seen her in quite some time and I couldn't just make her leave. Besides she doesn't mind spending the day with us…"

"Maybe it would be better if I left the two of you alone to enjoy her visit more fully." He replied.

Spending the day with Matsumoto would not only be embarrassing, but potentially dangerous if either of them said anything that gave him away. It was better to sacrifice his time with Inoue than to risk their lives and stay.

"Oh come on, you don't have to go. I don't mind sharing my time with Orihime." Rangiku said.

He never had a chance to respond due to a loud persistent knocking at the door to the apartment. He could hear voices from outside arguing.

_"I think they heard you the first time, Ikkaku."_

_"Well they're not answering."_

_"Give them time to move."_

Suddenly there was silence as the banging stopped.

_"Enough already!" _This voice he recognized as Kurosaki_. "The whole neighborhood is going to know you're here."_

"Oh my." Orihime said as she started for the door.

"Idiots," Matsumoto said under her breath. "I told them not to come for me until later. I hate shopping with them."

Ulquiorra thought this morning couldn't get much worse. Having Matsumoto here was risky enough, but now he had to deal with more Shinigami.

Orihime opened the door and smiled. Two men that he knew were Shinigami, stood beside Kurosaki and Asano.

"Inoue-san." Ichigo began, scratching his head as if embarrassed. "I was out this morning when I ran into these guys, so I thought I would come with them to check on you, since they seemed, uh, worried, and well…"

One of the Shinigami, a bald man, pushed Kurosaki aside and said, "Hey Rangiku, we finished up early so we thought we come see what you two were up too."

"I told you to come get me later. Orihime and I haven't even gotten out of the apartment yet."

"We can't help it if you're so lazy that you've slept the morning away…"

"We were up late talking girl things."

The man gave her a strange look. His friend though came up next to him and smiling said, "Any good gossip?"

"Only that Orihime has a new _friend_." She replied nodding her head in his direction.

Both Shinigami turned to look at him. The bald man came to stand in front of him, his look scrutinizing.

"Ikkaku don't be rude." The other Shinigami said as he walked over. Even though he had just chastised his friend, he also gave Ulquiorra a good once over.

From the doorway he could hear Asano saying, "See I told you that something was going on with these two, but you didn't believe me."

"Nothing is going on." Ichigo said as he too walked over to join the Shinigami. "Inoue is just too nice for her own good."

"Too nice you say?" asked Ikkaku. "Is this guy some kind of punk?" He grabbed the handle of a wooden katana that was slung through his belt strap. "I can take care of him for you."

"No, no, please it's just a misunderstanding." Orihime said as she rushed over to stand between him and the Shinigami. "Ulquiorra just moved here recently. I'm trying to help him have some fun. We had plans to do something together today, but then Rangiku showed up, so now we're going to do something fun as a threesome."

Asano made an odd, strangled noise and promptly fell to the floor, the two Shinigami gave each other a look, and Ichigo turned a violent shade of red.

"Oh my gosh!" Orihime exclaimed.

Matsumoto bent down to inspect Asano.

"He really is a weird boy." She said. Poking him rather roughly, she said, "Hey wake up."

The teen began to stir and then opened his eyes. Rangiku leaned closer, her breasts inches from Asano's face. He screamed and scrambled backwards.

"I don't understand the mind of the teenage boy." Matsumoto continued. She rose and looked at Kurosaki. Her cleavage now swung in his direction. The teen turned an even darker shade of red. "Am I that intimidating?"

Ichigo backed up a few feet.

"Maybe it has a little to do with personal space." Ichigo said.

"Or modesty." Ikkaku grumbled from beside him.

"What was that?" she turned and glared at the Shinigami.

"Nothing."

"You know I'd really like to hear a little more about this threesome." The dark haired Shinigami said.

Ulquiorra had had enough. Speaking to the Shinigami, Ichigo, and Asano he said, "I find your reaction to Inoue's innocent blunder rather juvenile. I would expect this from Asano, but I'm rather surprised at Kurosaki. And you two," he said looking at the Shinigami, "seem rather old to be thinking such lewd thoughts."

"I am not old." The dark haired Shinigami pouted.

"Why you little shit." Ikkaku growled as his katana was placed against Ulquiorra's throat. "You can't talk to us like that."

He only glared back at the bald Shinigami. Matsumoto though walked up and grabbed the katana by the tip and pushed it away from his throat.

"Must you always be such a hot-headed idiot." She said harshly. "He only spoke the truth."

"I am not old!" her friend continued to whine.

"Really Yumichika, I don't think we really need to talk about your true age." She said, and then turning to Ulquiorra continued, "I like you. Your honesty is very refreshing."

"Only because it's directed at us," Ichigo said hotly. "Just give it time. You'll find it just as annoying as everyone else."

Rangiku just smiled and said, "We'll see."

The room fell silent at her remark. The Shinigami and Ichigo continued to glare menacingly at him. Asano recovered his senses and came to stand by Kurosaki.

Orihime, obviously uncomfortable with the tension said nervously, "Well, um, this is kind of unexpected, all these people I mean, not that it's not great to see everybody together again, but I, um, didn't plan anything for a crowd."

Matsumoto walked over to Inoue and putting her arm around her said, "Now don't worry Orihime. The boys don't mind going shopping with us. After all it'll be nice to have someone strong to carry all the bags."

"I am not going shopping with you." Ikkaku growled.

Rangiku ignored him and continued, "And Yumichika could help Ulquiorra find some more fashionable clothes…"

"There is nothing wrong with the clothing I am wearing." He stated.

"Of course not," she said. "But I think we could do better; something to play up the color of your eyes. Maybe a little more form fitting…"

"What the hell!" Ichigo burst out. "What kind of pervert are you?"

"It's not for me, it's for Orihime."

He noticed Inoue turn a bright red at her friend's statement. Ichigo's face though drained of all color.

"What are you suggesting?" Kurosaki asked.

"Rangiku is just teasing you, Kurosaki-kun." Orihime said hurriedly. "Maybe shopping isn't such a good choice for a large group. I think I could think of something that we all could enjoy." She paused as she thought it over. Suddenly she smiled and shouted, "I know, we can have a snowball fight!"

"A fight?" Ikkaku asked finally interested.

"Well not a fight, fight. It's for fun. You pick teams and then you attack each other with snowballs. But you have to use fluffy, soft snow, not icy or wet snow that could really hurt someone…"

"Attack?" Ikkaku continued sounding more interested than before.

"Well yes, but it's for fun."

"Fighting is fun." The Shinigami smiled.

"But you can't hurt anyone…"

"Then what's the point?" he asked.

"Look you idiot," Ichigo started. "It's for fun. It's like a child's game. You chase each other and throw snowballs for fun."

"Then how do you win?" Yumichika joined in.

"Well no one really wins…" Orihime started.

"Then what's the point?" Ikkaku reiterated.

"It's for fun." Rangiku yelled. "Aren't you listening? How many times does the poor girl have to tell you?"

"I just don't see the point in it if no one gets hurt." Ikkaku growled.

"I could hurt you if you so desire." Ulquiorra said irritated by the bickering.

The Shinigami stared at him and then smiled.

"You're on."

"No wait." Orihime cried. "We are only playing a friendly game…"

"But he just challenged me." Ikkaku said.

"You are Orihime's guest." Matsumoto said as she approached her comrade. "You will play by her rules and leave her boyfriend alone."

Orihime gasped at her friend's bold statement.

"He is not her boyfriend!" Ichigo yelled.

"Are you a little jealous Kurosaki-san?" Matsumoto asked teasingly. "You had your chance. Now it's Ulquiorra's turn."

Kurosaki began to respond and then stopped.

"So I see we have moved on to stating the obvious in the most painfully embarrassing way." Yumichika said.

"Why should anyone be embarrassed?" Rangiku asked seemingly oblivious to Orihime's discomfort.

Once again his irritation caused him to speak. "You are an overly presumptuous woman. By making rather rash assumptions, you have made Orihime extremely uncomfortable. Whatever her intentions they are hers to declare, no one else's."

Rangiku's expression changed. She stared at him for a moment and then at Orihime.

"Told you the honesty got old real quick." Ichigo blurted out.

Ikkaku laughed and said, "Actually, I think I may be starting to like this guy."

Matsumoto ignored them all.

"Orihime," she began, "Do you think I've overstepped my bounds?"

"Did you ever!" Yumichika said.

"I didn't ask you!" Matsumoto exclaimed. "I want to hear from Orihime."

Everyone turned to look at Inoue. She smiled nervously and said, "I… well… I really would rather that you hadn't said that…"

Matsumoto began to pout.

"But it's ok… I mean Ulquiorra is right, but I'm not mad…"

"Well you should be." Yumichika said. "Rangiku never thinks about what she says."

Matsumoto turned on him and said angrily, "No one asked you."

"Look," Orihime started, "Let's just forget all of this and go have some fun. I think once we start our game we'll all forget about this conversation."

Ulquiorra thought another lifetime wouldn't be able to erase this debacle from his memory. Still he wanted to get out of Orihime's apartment.

"I agree with Inoue." He said.

"Of course you do," Asano piped up. "Now that you two are dating…"

"Shut up Keigo." Ichigo said.

"But…"

Kurosaki never gave him a chance to finish. He grabbed his friend by the collar and started to push him towards the door. Once there he turned back.

"Well, are we going or not?"

"Only if I don't have to be on _his_ team." Matsumoto said as she pointed to Yumichika.

"Feeling's mutual!" he replied.

"I really don't care what team you're on. Let's just get going." Kurosaki said.

"Alright then." Orihime said. "I know just the place that will be perfect for a match of this proportion."

Ulquiorra sighed as he followed her out. Keeping from being discovered seemed to be the least of his problems with this group of idiots, he thought. It amazed him that the Soul Society had won the war against Aizen if these were the people leading the fight.

He stayed with Orihime as she locked the door to her apartment, but before they headed down to join her friends she said, "Don't worry. This will still be lots of fun. You'll see."

Her idea of fun left much to the imagination. He honestly didn't see how this was going to end in anything but a disaster. Still he would see it through. He figured he owed Orihime at least that much.

* * *

**A.N.** These chapters are taking a lot more time to write. I find that I am becoming very picky and a little anxious about each one. This chapter deviates from what I had originally planned, but I wanted Rangiku and company involved due to later developments in the story. Though it may seem like a lot of nonsense with little direction, it is going somewhere. Due to size though I had to split the chapter. Hopefully I can find some quiet time this weekend to crank out the rest.

Thanks to all who reviewed last time. Please let me know what you think of this chapter.


	15. Chapter 15

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._

* * *

**Chapter 15**

Orihime led them to a soccer field behind the elementary school. The area was large and open and most importantly deserted. Smiling at everyone she said, "Well this is it! Ideally there should be more places to hide or take cover, but I think this makes it more fun because you have to rely on your speed and strength."

"Sounds good to me," Ikkaku said. "I'm just ready to get started."

"Well first we need to pick teams." She said.

"I don't want to be with Yumichika." Matsumoto pouted.

"I think we already agreed to that before we left Orihime's apartment." He returned angrily.

"Well if you ask me I think it should be me and the two lovely ladies." Asano said.

"No one asked you." Kurosaki responded.

"Actually, I think it should be girls against boys." Matsumoto said.

"Don't be an idiot. That would make it five against two. You would never win." Ikkaku said.

"Then we'll take Kurosaki-san." She replied. "That should make it fair."

"How would that make it fair?" Ikkaku countered.

"Well they," she said pointing to Ulquiorra and Asano, "would obviously be a handicap to the two of you so it would even things out"

Ulquiorra remained silent at her remark, but Asano quickly complained, "I resent that. I'll let you know that I am very skilled at sports, especially baseball, so I can hold my own against any of you."

"You think so." Ikkaku taunted.

"Look why don't we split into three teams." Yumichika interrupted. "Ikkaku and me, Ichigo and Keigo, and you and Inoue can take him." He pointed to Ulquiorra with a smile.

"That would be great!" Orihime said before anyone else could speak.

Ulquiorra noticed a look pass between Masumoto and the other two Shinigami, but none of them said a word.

"Alright buddy!" Keigo said with excitement. "I get to be with Ichigo. You guys just better watch out."

Ichigo sighed, but walked over to the teen. Looking at the others he said, "Just so you understand the object is not to injure anyone on the opposing team. No tricks like ice balls. It's just good, clean fun."

"When did you become such a pansy?" Ikkaku said with a laugh. "Honestly if you can't hurt someone, I don't see the fun in it."

"Just do as he says," Matsumoto began, "It's Orihime's game and you should follow the rules."

"Stupid rules if you ask me," the Shinigami mumbled as he walked off from where Masumoto stood.

She turned to look at Ulquiorra and said, "I'm willing to overlook what you said earlier for the sake of our team."

He only stared at her. The woman was so completely self absorbed. He wondered what Gin saw in her to make her such a dear friend.

"Now Orihime this is sort of like that time at the beach, only we have a little more clothes on, but I still think we can take them if we work together."

She had barely finished her sentence when a snowball hit her square in the chest, splattering all over the front of her coat and up into her face.

Looking up furiously she yelled, "Damn it Yumichika we haven't even started yet!"

"Oops!" the Shinigami replied with a smirk. "I thought we had."

Rangiku reached down and formed a ball with the snow and threw it at her friend. He easily dodged it. More snowballs came their way from two different directions. As he averted being hit he noticed Keigo and Ikkaku both arming themselves for another attack.

"Hey no fair," Rangiku started. "I thought it was three teams. You guys can't work together!"

"Who said anything about working together?" Ikkaku said. No sooner had he finished than a snowball hit him square in the face.

"I would think that the sun shining off that bald head of yours would melt the snow before it had a chance to make contact." Ichigo laughed.

"I am not bald!" Ikkaku said angrily. Wiping the snow from his face he ran off towards Kurosaki.

Ulquiorra stood silently watching the scene unfold around him. He honestly did not see the point of such foolishness. In fact he agreed more with Ikkaku than Orihime. What fun was it if no risk was involved?

He glanced over at Inoue as she bent down to pick up some snow. She was laughing as she formed the ball in her hands and threw it towards Keigo. Her aim was good as she hit him in the chest.

"Great aim!" Rangiku said as she raised her palm to give the teen a high five.

"Thanks." Orihime said with excitement.

"Hey, what about you?" Matsumoto asked as she turned towards him. "How about helping out a little."

"I find this whole situation rather…"

The words died on his lips as a snowball hit him in the head.

"Yes, a direct hit!" Kurosaki yelled.

He turned to see Ichigo laughing with Keigo. The teen caught his glare and said, "You make a pretty easy target just standing there like that."

Beside him he heard Matsumoto and Inoue laugh. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed by their reaction. His competitive nature took over. There was no way that he was going to let Kurosaki get the best of him, especially in front of Orihime.

Reaching down he scooped up some snow and formed a compact ball. He started off towards Ichigo with the ball ready to launch. Kurosaki was just as fast and it took him a moment to catch up. His first volley missed the mark though which caused Ichigo to slow down and laugh.

Ulquiorra was never one to let an opportunity pass him by. He quickly armed himself again and threw the snowball at the teen. This time it hit his mark. Ichigo caught the full force of the impact right in his face. He fell backwards and sat sputtering for a moment.

"Hey no fair!" Keigo complained. "This is supposed to be friendly."

"I don't know, I'd say it's finally getting fun." Ikkaku replied.

"If that's how you want to play…" Ichigo said as he got to his feet. He sent a snowball right back at Ulquiorra.

Now that he was paying attention he easily dodged the strike. The two Shinigami joined in and the battle took on a more aggressive tone. They took off running. The teams seemed to dissolve and the rules fell by the wayside, but none of them seemed to mind. Ulquiorra even had to admit that the game was finally showing some merit.

He stole a quick glance at Orihime and saw her laughing as she landed another hit, this time against Yumichika. Her carefree manner stirred something in him. Memories, long forgotten, played out before him.

_He was running as fast as his legs could carry him. He could hear his father behind him quickly closing the distance between them._

_"I'm catching up." His father said; his voice strong and full of happiness. "I'm going to get you this time."_

_"I've gotten faster." He panted as he pushed himself even harder._

_"That you have." His father replied. "But not as fast as me."_

_With that he felt his father's hand grasp his clothes. His grip tightened and he pulled him from behind into a strong hug. Daisuke squirmed in his arms, but his father held strong._

_"Now that I have you I will have to extract my vengeance!" he laughed._

_"No Chichi."_

_"Oh yes." He said as his hands moved with lighting speed to Daisuke's sides. "Prepare to be tickled."_

_His fingers found the sensitive points by Daisuke's ribs and began their torturous play. He struggled in his father's arms, trying to escape. His side hurt from his laughter._

_"Please Chichi, no more." He pleaded._

_"What's that? You want me to tickle you some more?" his father teased._

_As the tickling intensified he cried out between gasps, "Please stop… I'm gonna… I'm gonna wet myself…"_

_"I thought you outgrew that years ago."_

_"I can't help it… please Chichi…"_

_Instantly his father's hands dropped to his sides and the torture ended. He stepped back away from his father's reach and smiled. _

_"You fall for that every time." He said with triumph in his voice._

_"Next time I catch you I won't be so merciful." His father laughed._

_"You say that every time as well." He couldn't help but giggle._

_"Oh really?"_

_"Yes, but don't worry next time you won't catch me."_

_"You say that every time as well." His father said. "Yet I always manage to catch you."_

_"Someday I'll be too fast for you."_

_"Yes you will," his father replied. "But I can wait. Right now I enjoy the rewards too much."_

"_Rewards?" he asked._

"_Yes," he said as he pulled him in tightly for a hug. "The rewards."_

_Daisuke tightened his grip on his father and whispered, "I love you Chichi."_

"_I love you too Daisuke."_

He was shaken, rather abruptly, from his reverie by a snowball that hit him in the back of the head. Looking around he saw Inoue standing a few feet away. Her hand was on her mouth as she tried to stifle her laughter.

"We are on the same team woman." He said tersely.

"I couldn't help it. You completely spaced out there for a moment. If I hadn't done it someone else would have, and they wouldn't have been as nice."

"Your sense of logic never ceases to amaze me." He said

"Thank you, I think." She replied.

Smiling she walked over to him and removed the woolen cap from his head. She shook it roughly, and then before placing it back on his head, gave his hair a light dusting to dislodge any last remnants of snow.

"There all better now." She said.

He suddenly found it very hard to concentrate on her words. Her actions, though innocent on her part, left him reeling from unexpected feelings. The simple feather light touch of her fingers in his hair had sent a chill done his spine that the cold could never duplicate. In his stomach he felt an odd flutter, not completely uncomfortable, but yet unsettling all the same.

"Well," she said nervously. "I guess I should get back to the game… now that you're ok… so um, I'm going to go now."

She then turned and ran off to join the others. He stared after her. The strange sensations that she had created in him still lingered.

"Stomach flip flopping?" Matsumoto asked from behind him.

"I am feeling quite well, thank you." He replied as turned to face her.

She grinned knowingly at his response and said, "I would think from your reaction to Orihime's touch that that is not true."

He stared at her for a moment before responding. "I do not see how Inoue's touch would make me ill."

"Are you really that thick?" she asked.

He remained silent at her question.

"Is it all boys your age? Are you all dense or are you just being deliberately obtuse?"

The latter, he thought to himself, but he would never admit to anyone, least of all Rangiku, these new feelings that Orihime stirred within him.

She stared at him a moment longer and then frustrated said, "Fine then, just be that way, but I know better."

With that she began to walk off to join the others. Suddenly the air around them changed. He sensed a dark, oppressive spiritual pressure descend on the area. Matsumoto froze in her tracks. The other Shinigami noticed it as well as they dropped their snowballs and began to scan the area. He couldn't say that he was surprised. The three Shinigami alone were enough to draw a hollow, but a human with Kurosaki's spiritual energy would be hard to resist.

He swore softly to himself as he turned around and saw multiple hollows materialize. Once again Rangiku appeared at his side. She had shed her Gigai and had her Zanpakuto drawn and ready to fight.

"Get him out of here." She yelled to the artificial soul inhabiting her Gigai now.

He ignored her command and instead finding Orihime, took off in her direction. As a human there was very little he could do in this battle, still he had to try. He could sense one of the hollows close behind him. Inoue's hands instinctively flew to her hairpins.  
"Koten Zanshun" She yelled.

Tsubaki had barely begun his attack when Ulquiorra felt the sharp claws of the beast slash his coat sleeve right beneath his right shoulder. A searing pain shot through his arm, but he ignored it as he pushed on towards Orihime.

She cried out as she noticed him get cut and her concentration faltered. Behind him he could hear Tsubaki cursing. Though he had caused enough damage to hold the hollow off momentarily, the attack was not strong enough to defeat it.

"Damn it woman don't call me out if you don't intend to give it all you have." The spirit hissed as he came back to her.

"Sorry Tsubaki, I lost my concentration when Ulquiorra was injured."

"What about me?" he yelled as he got right up in her face, "Your hesitation could have cost me my life."

Ulquiorra reached out with his uninjured arm and grabbed the fairy-like creature.

"We do not have time for your tantrum. We need to get out of here." He said angrily.

Behind him the hollow regained its bearings. It howled as it reached out to strike again. Tsubaki cursed at him and screamed to be released.

Orihime didn't spare him a glance as she yelled, "Santen Kesshun, I reject!"

Her protective shield formed just as the hollow brought down its fist. Orihime let out a grunt as she pushed forward. Even though the hollow was strong, the barrier held. He turned to face the hollow and released Tsubaki, who in turn returned to Inoue.

The creature prepared to strike again, when Ichigo came crashing into it. The force sent it back several feet.

"Kurosaki-kun…" she started.

"Inoue get out of here. I'll take care of this."

She wavered slightly and then the barrier cracked and shattered.

"Don't worry Inoue. Just go. A hollow like this is child's play after Hueco Mundo."

Kurosaki's words angered him, but Orihime's actions bothered him even more. Nodding her head she turned to Ulquiorra and said, "Let's go."

He didn't argue with her. His desire to see her to safety overrode his irritation for the moment. The hollow though was not so easily deterred. It came at them again as they made their escape.

"How about picking on someone who can fight back" Ichigo yelled.

Charging forward the Shinigami raised Zangetsu and brought it down forcibly slicing the hollow in half from the top of its mask down, killing it instantly.

Orihime stopped her retreat and looked back at Kurosaki. Ichigo caught her gaze and smiled.

"Told you it would be no problem." He said with his familiar cocky flare.

Ulquiorra stood beside Inoue. The anger that he had felt earlier began to burn even hotter in the pit of his stomach. He hated feeling helpless, but as a human he had no way of defeating even a weak hollow as this one.

Around him he noticed the other Shinigami had defeated the hollows that had accompanied this one into the world of the living. They laughed and joked as they congratulated each other over their success. The scene disturbed him as the realization of just how fragile his existence had become.

_They'll kill you if they find out the truth._

The voice in his head was an unwelcome reminder that he was not truly human. His existence as a hollow would always overshadow anything he did in this world. The playful display from earlier would be quickly forgotten if the truth were revealed.

"Ulquiorra," Orihime asked as she placed her hand gently on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

He shrugged off her touch and stepped away from her. His frustration from before still nagged at him.

"I am fine woman." He said tersely.

She withdrew slightly at his words.

"What's your problem?" Ichigo asked angrily.

"You underestimate her." He replied before he could censure his emotions. "She could have handled that hollow by herself if you had just had faith in her."

"Ulquiorra…" Inoue interrupted.

"You are a strong woman." He said as he turned his irritation on her. "Yet whenever Kurosaki is around you act as if you are helpless."

"You can't talk to her like that." Ichigo said. "Inoue is not a fighter. She doesn't find pleasure in killing things," he yelled. Then under his breath he continued, "Unlike your kind."

"My kind?" he asked in a low and menacing tone.

"You know what I mean." Kurosaki said.

"What I know is that you refuse to see her as she really is. Your constant need to rescue her will eventually harm her if you don't cut it out." He yelled, finally losing control.

"You fucking asshole!" Kurosaki yelled as he lunged at him.

Suddenly Ikkaku appeared behind Ichigo and pinning his arms at his side, held him back from following through on his attack.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked.

"Let me go." Ichigo replied.

"When you calm down." The Shinigami responded.

"I'll calm down when he stops shooting his mouth off about crap he knows nothing about." Glaring at Ulquiorra he continued. "I've known Inoue a lot longer than you have, and I have always had her best interests at heart, unlike you."

"Kurosaki-kun please stop." Orihime pleaded.

Ichigo ignored her. With his gaze still fixed on Ulquiorra he said in a low voice, "You're just pissed off because in a situation like this, you are completely useless. In fact if Inoue hadn't had to protect you she would have been a lot safer."

Ulquiorra stiffened at the teen's remark. Around him everybody else grew silent. Ikkaku relaxed his hold on Kurosaki, possibly anticipating retaliation on his part. But he had nothing to say; Ichigo had only voiced, no matter how cruelly, what he himself had already figured out as soon as the battle began. As a human he was useless. There was nothing he could do to save Orihime, or himself, if the situation had required it.

"I suppose there's some truth to that." He responded, "Yet is it obvious that after all she has accomplished, you still see her as pathetic and weak."

Ichigo broke free of Ikkaku's light hold and headed for him. Suddenly Matsumoto appeared between them. Placing her hand on Kurosaki's chest she said firmly, "That is enough!"

"What, are you on his side in this?" Ichigo asked Rangiku.

"I think he makes a good point. For quite some time it seems that everyone has been underestimating Orihime. Maybe it's time we all began to acknowledge that she can take care of herself."

Kurosaki turned red at her admonishment. The other Shinigami remained silent, but turned their gaze to Orihime. She shifted from one foot to the other, obviously embarrassed by the attention being given to her.

After a moment of the awkward silence, Yumichika turned his attention back to Ulquiorra. Walking over he stood directly in front of him. With his eyes never leaving his face he said to Matsumoto, "Hey Rangiku he can see us."

"So?" she answered.

"We're not in our Gigais."

"Huh?" she said.

"You can see spirits?" Ikkaku said as he came over to stand next to Yumichika.

He was unsure of how to respond. It was quite obvious that he could see them. After all he had just been arguing with Kurosaki moments earlier. Returning their stare he simply replied, "Yes."

Before the two could respond Keigo came bounding up. Pushing the two Shinigami aside he inspected Ulquiorra closely.

"You can see them? You really can see them and those hollows as well?" he asked with excitement.

"It is true." He said.

Catching him off guard the teen embraced him fiercely crying out, "Thank you, thank you so much. It's good to know that I'm not so weird after all."

"I wouldn't go that far" Matsumoto muttered.

Still caught in Keigo's tight hold Ulquiorra remained stiff and unmoving.

"Release me Asano." He said in a dangerous tone of voice.

"But I'm just so happy. You can't imagine what its like to be one of the few people who can see all the crazy shit that goes on in this town."

"Asano-san I think you are hurting him." Orihime said.

She was correct. Keigo's powerful hug was putting considerable pressure on his wound from the hollow attack.

"Oh… yeah… I can't help it though." He said as he released Ulquiorra. "It's just so nice to have a normal human see these guys as well."

"And you're saying Inoue and I aren't normal?" Ichigo finally spoke up.

"Are you for real?" Keigo asked. "How normal is it to dress like that and carry that huge sword and kill hollows whenever they appear. And Inoue-san, wow, what was that thing you were doing? Oh man this just keeps getting weirder and weirder."

Ignoring Keigo's rant Matsumoto asked, "So how come you can see us?"

He shrugged his shoulders, hoping the typical teenage response to a question he didn't have the answer for would work.

"Is this something new?" she continued.

"I guess my situation has changed since I came to live in Karakura Town." He replied.

"Well there is definitely a great deal more spiritual energy around this place." She said absently. "Still you don't seem too fazed by this whole ordeal."

"I've been through it before," He said. "Just a hazard of hanging out with Kurosaki."

"Yeah, I guess that would be true." She said.

He noticed Orihime visibly relax at her friend's remark. Obviously she was afraid that his cover had been blown.

"Well… um… now that that's settled maybe we could all go get something to warm us up," Inoue said hurriedly. "Well of course after you guys get back into your bodies… I mean gigais…"

"Food would be good." Matsumoto said. "Ichigo's treat."

"Why should I have to pay for you guys?" he yelled.

"Because we're your guests."

"You are not my guests…"

"But as a fellow Shinigami it is only fair to pick up the tab. I would do the same for you if you were in the Soul Society."

Behind her Ikkaku began to cough loudly. She turned and glared at him.

"Do you have something to say?" Rangiku asked angrily.

"No, nothing. Of course you would treat him to a free meal." The Shinigami replied with a slight smirk.

"Alright then it's settled." She said enthusiastically.

"Nothing's settled…" Ichigo started.

Ulquiorra ignored the argument. Turning to Orihime he said quietly, "I think I'm going to return home."

"You're not enjoying yourself are you?" she asked as her face fell.

"I am sure your original plans would have been enjoyable, but in light of all that has happened I think it would be best if I leave, before something else goes wrong."

"Ulquiorra I'm sorry…"

"You have nothing to apologize for." He interrupted.

"But I wanted you to have fun, and then all of this happened."

"You could not have foreseen all that has occurred today."

"Still…"

"You should not worry so much."

She turned her gaze down for a moment. Suddenly her eyes flew back up to his face and she exclaimed, "Your arm. I forgot about that hollow."

"It is nothing." He replied.

"Nothing; how can you say it's nothing? You're bleeding."

He followed her gaze as she stared back at the snow. He could see where blood had begun to drip from his hand onto the white snow below.

"I suppose it's a slight bit more serious than I originally thought." He stated.

"A slight bit more serious?" she said. Her voice rose slightly in pitch and he could sense that she was becoming upset. "I would say that it's pretty serious. Let me look at it."

She began to reach for his arm, but he pushed her away with his left arm.

"I will be fine."

"Don't act all tough with me. I know you're lying."

"I don't lie."

"I don't know why you always have to be so stubborn. Just let me take a look."

He knew that she would continue to fuss if he resisted any further.

"Fine, if it will satisfy your need to …"

He never finished. The soft touch of her fingers by his wound caused a wave of pain to shoot down his arm. Involuntarily he hissed as he pulled his arm away from her grasp.

"It is serious." She said worried.

Before he could respond she set her fairies into motion.

"Soten Kesshun, I reject."

The healing barrier encompassed his right arm instantly. He could feel some of the pain from her touch begin to ease.

"Better?" she asked with a smile.

He nodded as he returned her smile with a stare. It was obvious that his response gave her a sense of relief, and she began to visibly relax. Her reaction caused the odd fluttering in his stomach from earlier to return.

"Hey what's going on now?" Keigo asked.

Orihime jumped at his unexpected interruption.

"I … uh… I'm just…"

"She is rejecting my injury." He replied for her. He found it pointless to keep the truth from Asano any longer. It was obvious that the teen already possessed more knowledge of the spiritual realm than most humans.

"Rejecting?" he asked as he moved closer to inspect the process. "It looks more like super healing powers to me."

"I guess you could call it that." Orihime said. "Personally I'm not big on the whole rejecting thing. It sounds so negative. Super healing powers sounds more fun."

He couldn't help but sigh at the ridiculous notion. Her abilities were far more unique and awesome than Keigo's simplistic analysis. Still he found that it was very much like Orihime to find Asano's impression more preferable.

"You do realize that it is important that you not speak of any of this with other people." He said.

"Yeah like I'm gonna do that. I've got Shinigami shacking up at my apartment, that's crazy enough. I don't need to draw anymore attention to myself." Keigo replied.

"All done," Orihime said. "Good as new. Now you can stay with us for a while longer."

"I still need to be going." He said.

"You're leaving?" Matsumoto said as she walked up on their conversation.

"I have exams this week. I need to return home to study." He said.

"Studying; how fun is that? You should come with us. Ichigo's buying."

"I cannot." He said.

She pouted slightly and then said, "Well if you wish to leave Inoue in Kurosaki's care…"

He pretended not to hear her as he said to Orihime, "I will see you at school on Monday. Thank you for inviting me out today."

She nodded her head, but he could see that she was disappointed. For some reason that gave him an odd sense of comfort.

"I guess I'll see you Monday then." She replied.

He nodded at her and then turned to leave. Behind him he could hear Kurosaki still arguing with the Shinigami. He was glad to get away from them. Still he couldn't help but wish things could have gone differently. The day had been eye opening for him and revealed many unwelcome truths that he had been ignoring since he came to the World of the Living.

The most unsettling was his inability to adequately defend himself or Inoue from a spiritual attack. Hollows would be problematic enough, but if any of the Shinigami figured out the truth about his past, he would be completely at their mercy. His sense of self preservation refused to accept that as a viable option. Somehow he would need to get stronger. He would not surrender his new found existence so easily.

* * *

**A.N.** Sorry this took so long to post. The past few weeks have not been very conducive to writing. My internet has been acting up for about a week as well, but it gave me time to finish this chapter since I didn't have to fight for the computer! The next chapter is almost completed as well due avoidance behaviors and writers block. It will be heavy on the flash backs.

Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter. Most of the names were new to me, so it was nice to hear from people who don't review on a regular basis. And today I recieved my 100th review for this story - thank you **Creeper-Keaton**. I wish I could respond to you personally, but since there was no forwarding address, I have to say that I really enjoyed your review. You had me laughing out loud. Thanks again to **Pardon the Insanity **for the in depth reviews and PM's. Sorry I haven't written back, but I will soon.

By the way the reference by Matsumoto to the beach was from episode 228. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend it. I laughed the entire time.

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you thought of it.


	16. Chapter 16

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

**

**Chapter 16**

_The trip to his grandmother's home passed by in a blur. He sat stiffly beside his mother; the old woman across from them. His chest still ached from his mother's revelations about their future. He couldn't help but feel betrayed by her actions, even though she had claimed to be doing all of this for him. He didn't want to bear such a burden. He just wanted his old life back when they were all happy and never worried about what tomorrow would bring. But it seemed that fate, and his grandmother had different plans._

_It was late in the evening when they arrived at the old woman's home. He was exhausted from the journey and his stomach continued to make odd noises reminding him that he had not eaten all day. _

_Before they could eat or rest they were escorted to the baths. The old woman refused to have either of them enter the main building until they had been sufficiently scrubbed clean. He found the process painful and irritating. His mother though seemed to welcome the relief that the hot water brought. She inhaled deeply of the rich floral scents that rose from the water, and sighed as the servants gently washed her hair. Of course this was what she was accustomed to most of her life. _

_He though wanted nothing to do with such frivolity. Bathing had always been a necessity; something to be endured after a busy day chasing frogs and catching bugs down by the river's edge. The water was always cold, but his mother was quick and efficient, leaving him to scamper away as soon as she had dried him off. Now he sat in the baths with his teeth clamped together and his hands balled into fists at his side. He endured their not so gentle ministrations and was fighting the urge to get up and bolt from the room. _

_Finally they finished, and after drying him thoroughly, they dressed him and brought him to a room where a simple meal had been laid out for him. After eating his meal in solitude, he was escorted to a room that was to be his own quarters. He tried not to stare in amazement by the size of the room, as it was bigger than his entire home. The servant turned down the covers of his bed and then proceeded to leave._

_It wasn't until that moment that he realized how lonely he truly was. His mother and father had always shared his bed, and he had never slept alone in his young life. Now he stood staring at a bed that was big enough for a large family, but meant for only him. Silently he crawled in and pulled up the covers. He lay for some time listening to the sounds of the house and grounds that lay just beyond his walls._

_Suddenly tears began to roll down his cheeks, but he didn't bother to dry them. He missed his old way of life. His father's absence was painfully obvious and left him physically aching. His earlier argument with his mother had left them at odds, and even though he was still angry, he wanted more than anything to just have her hold him and tell him that everything would be all right. _

_He knew he was exhausted but sleep refused to come. He tossed and turned for quite some time before he heard the screen to his room open. Soft footsteps approached his bed and then someone knelt down beside him. Gentle fingers caressed his back and then finally he felt the full weight of a hand as the owner gently began to rub his shoulders and neck._

"_This must all be so scary for you my son." His mother whispered._

_He lay silent, unsure of how to respond. Part of him wanted desperately to turn into her embrace, while another part wanted to ignore her presence completely._

"_I am so sorry Daisuke." She began, and he could hear the strain in her voice from the tears that she had been holding back for most of the day. "I just don't know how else to provide for you."_

"_We could have made it somehow." He said softly._

_She sighed and replied, "We were barely surviving while your father was in good health. I do not think we would have made it through next winter in our current situation."_

"_You should have more faith." He said a little more harshly._

"_And you should be a little more practical." She gently admonished him._

"_I do not trust the old woman." He stated._

"_That 'old woman' is your grandmother, and you will address her with the respect her title deserves." His mother responded. "She did not have to take us in…"_

"_She is just using you for her own gain." He said bluntly._

"_As I am using her."_

_He turned and looked at her. She withdrew her hands and sat back. A small smile came across her lips._

"_Your grandmother is content to believe that I have learned my lesson. She believes that she can control me, but I will not bend so easily."_

"_But you have agreed to her terms." He said._

"_I may do as she demands, but I do it of my own free will. This is my choice to better your future."_

"_But you'll be marrying someone you don't love…"_

"_Daisuke, I made a decision ten years ago when I ran away with your father. I may have been young and maybe I acted rash, but I would do it all again for the years I had with him. But most of all because I have you now, and I will do whatever I have to do to protect you. It is my duty as your mother."_

_Suddenly fresh tears began to fall from his eyes. He sat up and said, "I'm sorry. I should never have yelled at you, but I was just so mad and…"_

_She never let him finish as she reached out and grabbed him in a fierce hug. _

"_I love you Daisuke. Nothing will ever change that."_

"_But what about when you start a new family?" he asked._

_Still cradling him she replied, "No child can ever take your place in my heart."_

_He smiled at her words. She released him and sat back. Looking at his bed she whistled._

"_That is some bed."_

"_It's enormous!" he exclaimed._

"_Much too big for just one young boy."_

_His grin grew even wider._

"_I bet there's enough room for you too." He said._

"_Do you think so?" She asked playfully. "I don't know. Why don't you lie down and we'll see."_

_As he lay back down, she moved beside him. Turning to his side, she reached out and pulled him into her arms._

"_Yes, I think that there's just enough room for me and you."_

_He smiled as she held him securely. In no time at all his breathing evened out and he was fast asleep._

* * *

Ulquiorra awoke to a darkened room. The clock on his desk told him in bold, red numbers that it was only a little after three in the morning. He lay still, letting the memories that had come back to him play over in his mind. He thought that maybe if he could fall back asleep quickly he may be able to recapture the moment again. The sense of calm that his mother's embrace brought him as a child still lingered in his consciousness. He found that after the disturbing discoveries that the day had brought, it was comforting to remember that at some point in his life he had been loved.

Sleep though eluded him, and he lay there going over all that had been revealed to him since he had come to live as a human again. The memories from his previous life gave him insight into who he was and helped him as he adapted to life in the World of the Living once more. But they were only bits and pieces of his life. Huge gaps still remained. His past continued, for the most part, to be a mystery to him. The reason for his transformation was as hidden now as it had been for many years. Whatever drove him to such despair was still out there, secured away within his subconscious mind.

His identity had become fragmented and confused. For most of his existence he had been a hollow, and for quite some time a very powerful one. He had lost his heart and thus his humanity long ago, and with it had gained contempt for humans and their pathetic ways.

Now he found the interest that had been piqued by observing Orihime and her friends in Hueco Mundo had become a steady, unwavering desire. The more he learned about his life as Daisuke, the more he felt himself being drawn in to his own fragile humanity; a humanity that he had rejected when he had lost his heart. The emptiness that was insatiable before, the void that seemed could never be filled, was finally finding satisfaction.

And that reality scared him as nothing ever had before. Watching Orihime and her friends he learned one thing; friendship and love made a person weak. It allowed one's enemies to exploit that bond. He had done so with Inoue when he manipulated her into coming to Hueco Mundo of her own free will. He had used her concern for her friends against her. She was willing to sacrifice her happiness for their safety even though in reality they were never in any danger. Yet Uryu had told him differently. Humans needed relationships to survive. He claimed they helped one to grow and become stronger. The two ideas stood in complete contradiction of each other. Only one could be the truth. But if he choose to follow the wrong path he could face destruction.

In his childhood he had felt safe and secure. The love that he remembered existing between his parents and himself made him feel invincible. Even the hard situation that they found themselves living in was bearable because of that bond. Yet in the end that love was exploited by his grandmother. His parents were willing to accept her offer of help, and all its conditions, just to guarantee his survival.

Their love for each other had been manipulated by his grandmother, just as Orihime's desire to protect her friends had been manipulated by himself. Evil existed in this world and that evil would always exploit the weak. Was friendship and love enough to overcome such forces?

He thought back to the battle with Aizen. It took the efforts of the most powerful of the Gotei 13 to defeat the former Shinigami Captain. And even then it was only with the help of the Vizards and Kurosaki and his friends, that the feat was accomplished. Aizen had used everyone that he had had come in contact with for well over a century. He used their trust and friendships against them for his own gain. Yet in the end it was those that he had marginalized by his actions that had banded together and defeated him.

Maybe his previous beliefs were flawed. Orihime had never wavered in her belief that her friends would succeed in Hueco Mundo. She believed the impossible and in the end she was correct. For all of Aizen's plans he did not take into account the strength of the human heart, and in the end it was his downfall.

Which left him wondering if he should place his trust in humanity; should he follow his heart as he had as a young child? Or was that faith just the innocent musings of a child. At some point that innocence was shattered, his heart surrendered to darkness. If he followed his heart would he face destruction again, and would that destruction come by his own hands or by those same beings that had destroyed Aizen and the rest of his kind?

_

* * *

_

They had been at his grandmother's house for two days before his mother brought him to meet his grandfather. He did not realize that the man was even alive until his mother explained where they were going that morning.

_As they approached the old man's room his mother stopped and spoke to him in a hushed voice. "Daisuke, there is something I need to tell you about your grandfather. He may appear like any other man, but since my brother was killed he has not been the same. His mind refuses to accept what has happened and he does not always understand what is happening around him. Please try to understand this, especially if his behaviors seem odd or scary."_

_He nodded solemnly at his mother. She opened the screen and together they walked into the room. His grandfather sat staring out into the gardens that surrounded his room. His back was to them as they entered. Daisuke assumed that he did not hear them, because he continued to gaze straight ahead, even after his mother had closed the screen._

_She led him over to where his grandfather sat and kneeling down next to the old man said in a gentle voice, "Otousan? Otousan it is I, Asako, your daughter."_

_The old man remained stiff and unmoving. The only indication that he had heard her was a solitary tear that ran down his face._

"_Otousan I am so sorry. I did not know about Ichiro until mother came for me."_

"_Ichiro," his grandfather began in a voice laden with sorrow. "My beloved son, I have failed you."_

_Ignoring her father's lament his mother pressed on, "I have brought my son Daisuke."_

_The old man turned his gaze finally to where she knelt. Looking past her he fixed his eyes on Daisuke. A smile graced his face and he said, "Ichiro! You have returned to me."_

_Daisuke took a step back, but his mother shot out her hand and grabbed his wrist. She gently tugged his arm and pulled him to a kneeling position beside her._

"_This is my son. His name is Daisuke." She reiterated._

_Her father's face fell at her comment. He looked more closely at Daisuke and then sighed. _

"_I don't know how I could have been so wrong." He said. The anger was clear in his voice. "He looks exactly like Hiromasa. So you think he can take my Ichiro's place?"_

"_No Otousan, mother has made that very clear. Daisuke will never inherit the lands or title that belonged to my brother."_

"_Yet she has allowed you to return." He stated flatly._

"_She has agreed to educate and provide for him…"_

"_At what price?" her father demanded. Not giving her time to answer he said, "You should leave now before she destroys you and your child, just like she did Ichiro."_

"_Mother said that Ichiro was killed by a wild animal…"_

"_It was no animal!" the old man yelled. "It was an evil spirit. A monster from the world of the dead took my son from me, and now his soul will live forever in torment."_

_Daisuke stiffened. The idea of monsters that could eat your very soul was terrifying to him. Without conscious thought he moved closer to his mother._

"_Please you are scaring my son." His mother said in reply._

"_He should be afraid. Such creatures exist. I know they do." Fresh tears began to stream down his face. "I should have stopped her. I should have stood up to her and told her that she was angering the spirits, but I remained silent and now your brother is gone."_

"_I do not understand." His mother said. "Mother said that Ichiro was attacked and mauled by a wild beast."_

"_It was Emiko!"_

"_That is impossible."_

"_She died the previous year during childbirth. The babe did not survive the delivery. Ichiro was devastated by her death. He loved her so much. Still only six months later your mother began to look for a suitable replacement. Ichiro wanted nothing to do with another woman, but she insisted._

"_My son was never a strong willed man, especially when it came to his mother. Eventually he gave in to her demands and agreed to marry a girl from the Mizuno clan. Your mother was ecstatic, but I knew better. Emiko though a lovely girl was very possessive of Ichiro. To disregard her so soon after her death was asking for trouble._

"_It had only been a year since she died when Ichiro was set to marry again. On the eve of the wedding it happened. She came for him; a hideous monster without a soul. She killed my Ichiro."_

_Daisuke's eyes grew wide with fright. The idea that a dead person could become a monster like that was terrifying. What if the same happened to his father? What if he came for his mother's soul the way Emiko had come for his uncle?_

_Burying his face in his mother's chest he cried, "I don't want you to die Haha. I don't want my father to become a monster without a soul."_

_He felt her hands gently caress his hair. "Your father has passed on. You have nothing to fear Daisuke. He would never kill me or you. He loved you very much."_

"_As did Emiko," His grandfather said. "Yet she came for Ichiro…"_

"_Stop it!" his mother yelled. "You do not know what you are saying. I am sorry about Ichiro, but I will not sit here and let you scare my son like this."_

"_I saw it." the old man whispered. "I know it is true because I saw it. She came for him, and when she had taken his soul, she disappeared into the darkness of the night. There was nothing I could do to stop her." _

_At that his grandfather began to cry._

"_My little boy, gone because of my incompetence."_

_He buried his face in his hands and began to cry harder._

"_Otousan I am sorry. I wish I could do something to ease your pain…"_

"_Then leave here. Take your chances in the world outside these walls. Protect your child and honor Hiromasa's memory before the same thing happens to you."_

_With that said the old man turned and stared out into the garden again. His mother remained still and silent for sometime after, until finally she rose slowly to her feet and drew him from the room. _

_Once outside his grandfather's quarters she said in a whisper, "Your grandfather is not well. Remember that Daisuke. His loss has driven him to madness. You have nothing to fear. Your father wanted me to take my mother's offer of help. He wanted for us to survive. He did so knowing the kind of woman she was and what she might demand in return. He will not come back from the grave and kill us because of our choices. He loves us both too much for that."_

_Daisuke nodded his head, but he did not find much comfort in his mother's explanation. Something about his grandfather's story struck a cord with him. He had heard of similar tales before, but his father had always dismissed them._

_Still the idea that one could lose their soul to sorrow and madness was a very real thing. He thought about his grandfather. The old man seemed convinced. His claims to have witnessed it with his own eyes made the possibility of it all seem very real to him. _

_He wished his mother would take her father's advice and leave. One thing he believed to be true was that his grandmother would destroy them if they stayed too long. He had never met someone quite as evil as her, and the thought that she could call down the wrath of the dead upon them was, in his mind, a plausible reality. _

* * *

Ulquiorra awoke with a start once again from his dreams of the past. Unlike the last memory, this one left him with a feeling of unease. He was seated at his desk with his head resting in his arms. He must have fallen asleep while studying. Leaning back he stretched his stiff muscles and gazed around. The sun was just beginning to set. Looking at his clock he saw that it was almost time for the evening meal. As his stomach began to rumble he realized that he had gone without food most of the day. At Urahara's the rule seemed to be if you missed a meal you were on your own to find suitable sustenance.

Rising to his feet he pushed open the screen to his room and made his way silently towards the kitchen. From the smells coming from the room he could tell that the meal was almost ready. He entered the room and found Tessai busy at the stove. Kisuke sat on a stool at the island in the center of the kitchen, a cup of tea in his hand. The two friends were chatting amicably, but when he entered they grew silent.

Looking in his direction Urahara said, "Well I see you have finally emerged from your room."

"I have exams to prepare for." He replied.

"Ah yes exams. Planning to knock Uryu from his present spot at number one?" he asked good naturedly.

"That is most likely impossible due to my late entry into the school, but I will eventually catch up to him." He said.

This brought a laugh from the Shinigami.

"So," Kisuke started after a moment, "I hear that yesterday was very eventful. I was a little surprised that you said nothing about it at dinner last night."

"As was I that you failed to inform me that Matsumoto was staying with Inoue." He replied with a slight bit of irritation.

"Ah that, well I didn't know that she would be at Orihime's…"

"The two are close friends. You were very much aware of the fact that the lieutenant would seek lodging at her apartment."

"Ulquiorra, you make it sound like I deliberately set you up knowing that confronting Shinigami this soon after everything that happened with Aizen could be disastrous." Urahara said feigning innocence.

He stared at Kisuke for a moment and then said, "It is not only my life at stake here if something had gone wrong."

"But nothing did go wrong. In fact Rangiku was very impressed with Orihime's _new friend. _She seemed very relieved that Inoue had moved on so nicely after everything that had happened to her this past fall." Urahara returned. "Not that anyone's holding that against you. I mean you were just following orders after all."

"Kisuke stop teasing our young friend." Tessai spoke up. Turning to look at Ulquiorra he said, "You need to look at this as a good thing. If the Shinigami closest to Inoue accepted you without too many questions, then the plan is working."

"It was just luck that they did not figure anything out." He replied. "The next time I may not be so convincing."

"You really shouldn't be so pessimistic." Urahara spoke.

"I feel I have cause to be concerned. My life hangs in the balance here." He replied.

"I am sure that Kisuke has a plan if something were to happen." Tessai said.

"Yeah, I'm full of plans. It's kind of fun, dodging the Soul Society. I've sort of become an expert after a hundred years."

He stared at the Shinigami for a moment and said, "You have no reason to protect me. I believe it would have been easier if you had surrendered me from the beginning of this farce."

"I believe I already explained that that would have left our poor Orihime terribly upset." Kisuke said.

"Inoue." He responded, and then in a whisper, "I see."

Suddenly he felt Tessai's strong hand rest on his shoulder.

"You shouldn't discount your own importance." He said with a hint of compassion in his voice. "Kisuke would protect you whether Orihime desired your safety or not. You're family now."

"Family?" he asked rather skeptical of the man's statement.

"Oh come on Ulquiorra, you've lasted longer than most of our guests. And besides I find myself becoming attached to you, odd quirks and all." Kisuke replied.

"You find _me_ odd?" he said.

"Just odd enough to fit in here." Tessai said and then laughed.

At that moment Jinta came bounding into the kitchen.

"Hey about time you showed your face. You've got a load of chores to do. Don't think that hiding in your room all day will get you out of them." He said looking at Ulquiorra.

"I do not plan to lay my responsibilities at someone else's feet." He replied.

"Yeah whatever; just make sure they get done." He said.

"Jinta!" Tessai said firmly.

"What? It's only fair. If he's gonna live here then he needs to help out."

"I believe he said he would. You should not be so rude about it though."

The child crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Ulquiorra. As soon as Tessai turned back to the stove Jinta stuck out his tongue at him. This brought a laugh from Urahara.

"You know Jinta if you're not careful your face could freeze like that." Kisuke teased.

Jinta jumped at Urahara's words, which only made the Shinigami laugh harder. This caused the boy to turn a deep shade of red. Trying to hide his embarrassment he stomped past Ulquiorra and began to grab the dishes for the meal.

"I guess I'll get the table since no one else feels the need to work around here!" he huffed. With that he left the room.

Tessai continued stirring the pot in front of him but said, "The boy must feel pretty comfortable around you to do something so childish"

Ulquiorra wondered how the man could have known what Jinta had done as his back was to them the whole time. Confused though he said, "I do not see how being comfortable would cause him to act in such a way."

"He is expressing himself without all the games that he usually plays with other people." Urahara said.

"Your logic is lost on me." He replied.

"Ah just give it time. You'll see what I mean."

With that he scooted off the stool and headed for the dining room. Ulquiorra watched him leave. After a month in the Shinigami's company he still did not understand him. He had always known that Urahara was eccentric, geniuses usually were, but it made figuring him out very difficult.

The one thing that confused him the most was Urahara's implication that he had been accepted into their strange little family. The Shinigami had no reason to trust him. He was the enemy, and if not for Orihime's impulsive actions back in Hueco Mundo, he would had died as such.

Still in light of all he had remembered about his past so far, he found a small part of himself yearning to be included in a family once again. Not the perverted sense of family that Aizen created in Hueco Mundo, but a real family that protected and cared for each other. As bizarre as this little group was, they were as close to family as he had now.

"Ready to eat?" Tessai interrupted his thoughts.

He simply nodded.

"How about you help by grabbing the rice." He said.

Ulquiorra took the rice and followed the man into the dining area. Placing it down he took his seat beside Ururu. He took a quick glance at the small group. Family, he thought, this is my family now. Somehow by saying it to himself it helped lessen the peculiarity of it all. It was a far cry from his family in Las Noches, and even further still from his life with his mother and father. Yet for now it fit and at this moment in time that was enough.

* * *

**A.N. **I am finding it hard to balance Ulquiorra's past with the present. Fitting it in can be awkward, but it is an integral part of the story so I hope you enjoyed it. So now we move from fluff to angst. Fluff (and much more) will return soon - so please bear with me!

Thanks to all who have reviewed especially **Eatfoodzap** for the multiple chapter reviews over the past week. I am glad that you liked all the recent developments. Also **UlquiorraxOrihime** for dropping a review after a multiple chapter read.

Please continue to let me know what you think.


	17. Chapter 17

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

******

Chapter 17

_He was a child again, standing in the field that surrounded his family's farm. He was alone, completely alone. Where had his parents gone he wondered. Why had they left him to face the darkness? He could feel the tears well up in his eyes. He was afraid. He knew the darkness would come for him, but he didn't think he could withstand it anymore._

_Suddenly she was there standing before him. She wore the white dress, the one he thought suited her perfectly. Bending down she looked him level in the eyes._

_"Are you afraid?" she asked._

_He wrapped his arms around his body to stop the shaking that had begun deep in his being. Trying to be brave he shook his head._

_"It's ok to be afraid. I don't like to be alone either."_

_He stared at her. Finding his courage he said, "I don't want to face the darkness by myself anymore."_

_"You don't have to." She said and smiled. "I'm here now."_

_She stood and looked around the farm. _

_"Well now that I'm here, what shall we do?"_

_He shrugged his shoulders at her and stared blankly._

_"I know," she exclaimed, "How about a game of tag."_

_He shook his head, suddenly feeling insecure._

_"I don't want you to leave me."_

_"I won't leave you. I'll be right here."_

_He thought about it and then nodded his head and said quietly, "Ok."_

_"Great!" She beamed. "I'll count to ten and you run."_

_She began to count slowly. He started to run when a voice called out from behind him._

_"You cannot escape me. We are one in the same."_

_He felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that voice. It called to him from his darkest nightmares. He tried to scream, but no sound came out of his throat._

_"This is all an illusion Daisuke." The voice said menacingly. "Your soul belongs to me. There is nothing for you but the darkness."_

_He felt pain as the talons gripped his shoulders. He could feel them penetrate through his flesh to the bone._

_"They will kill you if they discover the truth." The voice hissed._

_He looked to the woman. The terror was obvious in his eyes. He reached out for her extended hand, but he only grazed the tips of her fingers. He watched in horror as his flesh began to disappear, turning to ash. _

_His voice returned as a scream tore from his throat. The woman closed her hands, grasping the swirling ash that remained._

"_Please, don't leave me to the darkness." He cried. "I don't want to go back."_

Ulquiorra awoke with a start. Sweat soaked his sheets and he could feel the blood surging through his veins as his heart raced from fright. It was only a dream, he told himself. None of it was real. Inoue had rejected his hollow form. He was human now; the horrors of Hueco Mundo were behind him.

Sitting up he ran his hands through his hair. Unconsciously he touched his chest and felt flesh. The hollow hole was gone, as it had been for over a month now. The emptiness was easing as he settled into his new life. The dream was just a nightmare.

Still he couldn't help but feel fear. For a time in Hueco Mundo he had ceased to exist. The empty, cold, darkness still haunted him. As much as he had acclimated to his new life, he couldn't let go of what he had been.

"_This is all an illusion Daisuke. Your soul belongs to me. There is nothing for you but the darkness."_

What the hell was happening to him he wondered. The confusion he had felt earlier in the day only continued to grow. Was he truly human? Could Inoue honestly bring a dead man back to life? Were her powers equal to that of a god? And if he wasn't quite human then what was he?

He rose to his feet and headed to the washroom. The house was quiet as he made his way down the hall. His family, he thought to himself. It had only been a few hours ago that he had contemplated his place in this household. Now after his disturbing dream he chided himself for being so foolish as to believe that he could ever be accepted by them.

His thoughts turned to Orihime. In the dream he had pleaded with her to stay with him; to keep the darkness away. But how could he expect her to banish something that was so much a part of him.

_"You cannot escape me. We are one in the same."_

What if the darkness that he had surrendered to so long ago refused to let him go? The heart that he believed he had found again may be nothing more than an illusion, or simply the desires of the little boy that he had once been.

Standing in front of the sink he turned on the cold water and splashed it on his face. Looking up into the mirror he stared at his reflection.

'Who am I' he asked himself.

Silence was his only answer.

But in a dark corner of his heart a more terrifying question emerged: 'What am I, human or hollow?'

Once again he met with silence, and that silence was deafening.

* * *

Orihime searched the school for Ulquiorra. Though it was Wednesday, she had not had the opportunity to speak with him once since she had seen him last Saturday. She knew he was avoiding her, but she wasn't sure quite why. It was understandable that he would be upset about Rangiku's appearance this weekend, but he had handled himself fine, and her friend was none the wiser as to whom he really was. He couldn't be mad about that, could he? Yet if it wasn't that then what was it?

Still mulling over a possible reason, she made her way into the school library. Scanning the tables she finally found him sitting alone surrounded by books. She tried to keep from running as she made her way over to him. Part of her feared that if he saw her he would suddenly get up and leave before she could say anything.

Approaching the table she smiled and said, "Hey Ulquiorra, whatcha up to?"

He looked up at her and stared for a moment and then replied, "I am studying woman. Are you not the least concerned as to how you will fair on these exams?"

She waved his words aside and said, "You've seen one test you've seen them all!"

His stare only intensified.

"That makes absolutely no sense at all."

She laughed nervously as she took the seat across from him and continued, "I've taken exams before. They're really no big deal. I've been studying all year, and even though I missed a lot of time this fall, I really feel confident that I know the material."

"I see." He replied.

"You do? Good, because I didn't think I would be able to explain it any better then that. So um… well…"

She stumbled over her words as his gaze quickly went back to the book in front of him. She fell silent and just stared at him while he read. After a few moments he looked back up and sighed.

"What is it woman?"

His gaze made her a slight bit uneasy, but she refused to let him intimidate her.

"Why are you avoiding me?" she asked.

"I am not avoiding you."

"You haven't met me once this week to walk to class. I've had to fight Chizuru off every day …."

"And were you successful?" he asked

"Well yes, but that's beside the point. Without you there she tries to grab me any chance she can get. It's embarrassing and uncomfortable."

"But you have handled it well, so it is obvious that my assistance is no longer required."

"Well yes, I mean no, I mean why don't you want to walk with me?"

"I have been busy."

"It's because of what happened Saturday isn't it?" she blurted out.

"Saturday?" he asked.

"Yes Saturday. I should have warned you about Rangiku…"

"The Shinigami was not a concern in the end." He said dismissively.

"Oh, then why are you mad?"

"I am not mad. I have been busy. I do have a life outside of school and entertaining you," he responded coolly.

She stiffened at his remark. Stung by his words she stood abruptly and started to leave. She was about halfway to the door when she turned around and marched back over to him.

"You can't talk to me like that!"

His only reply was a silent stare.

"I have done nothing wrong."

Still silence.

"Ulquiorra stop it!"

Slowly he rose to his feet and gathered up his books.

"I do not have time for this." He said as he began to walk away.

She stood watching him go. Frustration welled up inside her and without giving it a second thought she ran after him. Catching up to him in the hallway she grabbed his arm and said, "Don't walk away from me like that. I have a right to know what I did to make you so angry."

"It is not always about you." He whispered.

She released his arm as soon as he spoke. His words made her suddenly feel very small.

"I'm sorry."

"You do not need to apologize."

"But I was badgering you and being inconsiderate…"

"You cannot help it. It is the way you are."

"Inconsiderate? You're saying that I'm inconsiderate."

"No, I am saying that you are persistent, especially when you are unnecessarily concerned about something."

"Oh, okay, I think."

"I am not angry at you woman. I just need to sort through some things."

"I could help."

"No you cannot. It is something that I must do alone."

"Oh." She said and then grew quiet.

He began to walk again and she followed beside him in silence. When they were close to the classroom she said, "Tatsuki's parents have invited me to go with them to the Omoshiroyama Resort in Yamagata for a week during our break to go skiing. We leave this Friday."

"That is probably for the best." He responded stoically.

Ever since Tatsuki had invited her she had wrestled with going or not. A part of her worried about leaving him alone for so long, but after his response she felt glad about her decision. He was pushing her away, and his lack of concern for her feelings hurt deeply. Maybe it was best if they were apart for a while. She could only hope that time away from each other would help him to work out whatever was troubling him so much.

"Well then, I guess I won't be seeing you until after the New Year." She replied trying to keep the pain from her voice.

"It would seem that way." He agreed.

Together they entered the classroom and went to their desks. She sat down and let her gaze drift out the window. In the few short months that she had known him she had never seen him quite like this. It was obvious that he was troubled by something, but as long as he refused to let her in, there was nothing she could do to help. Maybe after a week away he would feel differently.

* * *

He walked home alone from school Friday afternoon. They had begun their winter break so for the next two weeks he would have no set schedule of events. Inoue had left with Tatsuki for her vacation giving him some time to think without the pressure of giving her an explanation for his change in behavior right away. He knew it was for the best that they spend some time apart right now, but he couldn't help but miss being with her.

This week had been difficult for him. He did not want to avoid her, but being around her was too confusing at the moment. The dream from earlier in the week still haunted him as did the thoughts that it evoked. He had yet to reconcile any of his new found feelings with the discoveries he had made, so he had pushed her away until he could figure things out.

He knew that she would eventually seek him out. Their conversation in the school library was inevitable. She was persistent when she wanted something, and he could tell that his silence was worrying her. Whether he wanted to admit it or not their relationship had changed, and somewhere along the way he had lost the upper hand. She had become his life line in this world, and he feared that on some level she felt responsible for his happiness. But he didn't want that. Responsibility brought on a sense of obligation, and the last thing he wanted was for her to feel obligated to him.

Especially now when he had was so unsure of everything in his life. A part of him knew it would be best if she completely abandoned him. At least then if the Soul Society discovered him she could possibly remain safe. Yet understanding that did not make it any easier. He enjoyed his time with her. Pushing her away like he had been doing this week left him agitated and empty.

He was roused from his thoughts as he came upon a mother and her young child. The boy was obviously upset by something and she was trying to comfort him. Beside her stood an older woman who was apparently dispensing advice to the mother; unwanted advice from the looks of it.

"You really shouldn't make such a fuss over him. It's only a little scratch." The older woman said. "If you baby him now he'll never grow up."

Her words set something off in his memory. He froze as his past played out before his eyes…

_Spring and summer passed without much incident. His grandmother had stayed true to her promise to his mother and had hired a tutor to come to educate him. His days were spent with lessons and his nights were spent with his mother exploring the estate and learning how to run it; both things that he knew his grandmother would frown upon. Still his mother insisted that he know enough so he would be valuable to whoever required his services when he grew older._

_He gained much from his time with his mother. She had an easy going way about her that made everything fun and interesting. His tutor on the other hand was an authoritarian bore. He was thankful that things came so easy to him because if he ever became distracted during a lesson the old man would use a switch across whatever body part was easiest to reach in order to regain his attention. He strongly disliked the man, a fact that was not lost on his sensei. _

_Today he found himself standing outside his grandmother's quarters. He was not told why she wanted to see him, but he could guess that it had something to do with his latest transgression in the school room._

_After quite some time he was lead inside. His grandmother sat by a table with various papers placed in front of her. He silently made his way over to her and bowed low._

_"I was told you wish to speak with me Obaasan." He said as respectfully as he could._

_She continued to write something on the paper in front of her. The silence unnerved him and after a moment he began to fidget._

_"Calm yourself child. Your lack of self control is very bothersome."_

_He forced himself to remain still as he waited for her to finish. _

_After a few moments more she looked up and said, "Your teacher has been to see me with a report of your progress."_

_"Yes Obaasan."_

_"He says that you are an exceptionally bright child, but you lack the self control necessary to ever truly amount to anything." _

"_I wouldn't squirm so much if he wasn't so boring." He mumbled under his breath._

"_What was that child?" she asked irritated by his response. "If you have something to contribute you need to speak more clearly."_

_Gathering his courage he said, "Sensei is boring. Everything I know I taught myself."_

"_I see." She said glaring at him. "So I am to believe that you possess more intellect than a formally educated man five times your age, whose worldly experiences far outshine your sheltered upbringing in that peasants shack that I found you in?"_

_He held her stare for a few moments before he looked down._

"_Not only are you strong willed, but you are insolent as well. If I had not come for you at your father's request you would be dead by now. And if by some miracle of fate you had survived, you would have never amounted to anything more than an uneducated worm, tilling the soil, eking out a meager existence, and trying to keep from starving."_

_Her words angered him greatly. Clenching his fists tightly at his side he met her gaze with a glare of his own. He dared not speak for fear that he would not be able to control himself at all._

_His grandmother met his stare with an equally cold one of her own. Suddenly a slight smile lit her features._

_"You truly hate me child." She said._

_He refused to answer her._

_"You do not need to speak boy, I can see it written all aver your face. Your inability to mask your feelings is a weakness that will always give your enemies the upper hand."_

_She returned to the papers in front of her and said, "Your lack of self control is a true disappointment. I expected something more from someone with as strong a will as you."_

_He continued to stare at her. She for her part ignored him. Several minutes went by and he became increasingly irritated by her disregard. Finally unable to hold his tongue he asked, "Am I dismissed?"_

_She continued to pay him no mind as she finished up her work. At last she looked up at him and asked, "How old are you now boy?"_

_He was taken back by her question, but replied, "I will be nine in three months."_

_She considered this for a moment and then said, "Isn't that a little old to still require your mother's presence in your bed at night?"_

_His eyes grew wide at her remark._

_"Do you think I am unaware of what goes on within my own home? I do have to say that I cannot believe a boy of your age would still need his mother to banish the terrors of the night. How do you ever expect to grow into a man if you continue to let her coddle you so?"_

_"My mother loves me."_

_"She treats you like a small child. You are too old to share her bed." She stated matter-of-factly. "Besides, soon she will remarry. There will be no place for you any longer. It is better that you save face now and push her away before you are shamed in front of the entire household."_

_He had had enough of her. Turning abruptly he headed for the door._

_"I have not dismissed you yet child." She called after him._

_He continued to walk not caring about the consequences of his actions._

_"I have narrowed the choice of prospective husbands for your mother down to three." She said._

_He stopped dead in his tracks. His gazed was still fixed on the door ahead of him._

_"The first man comes from a very wealthy family. Uniting our two families could prove very profitable." She started. "Of course his first wife died rather unexpectedly. Some within his household say that he killed her, but you can never take servant gossip too seriously."_

_He couldn't help but turn around at her words. She smiled as she continued on with her explanation._

_"The second man comes from an equally wealthy family, and they are also well respected within the community. I understand that he is a rather attractive man. Of course he also is rumored to share his bed with any woman willing to take up his offer. But that shouldn't bother your mother. After all it should be a welcome relief that after she conceives a child she may never have to bed him again." _

_He could feel his face grow hot as the anger rose within him. _

_"The third man's family is not as wealthy as the other two, but they are related to the Shogun. Joining our families would provide greater status and opportunity. Sadly he is a simple man. Your mother would more likely dominate the relationship bending him to her will taking on the responsibility for managing both households. Such a weak man would never oppose her in any decision of importance."_

_"Why are you telling me these things?" he asked when she was finished._

_"Do you not care what the future holds for your mother?"_

_"It is not as if I hold any sway in the matter." He responded._

_This brought another cold smile to her face._

_"Ah but you do child." She said. "Your mother wishes nothing more than to please you. If you were to favor one man over the others she would surely decide to marry him."_

_"I thought the ultimate decision was yours?"_

_"Yes I suppose it is. Of course I may consider your choice if you were to make some changes."_

_"Changes?" he asked._

_"I expect complete submission on your part. You will learn to follow the rules of this household and live as a respectable member. You will listen attentively to your sensei and do as he instructs you to do. You will no longer ask your mother to share your bed or allow her to coddle you in such a way. And most of all you will learn to restrain your emotions. I cannot have you skulking around my household creating disharmony."_

_"And if I cannot change?"_

_"Then I will pick the man I feel best suited to advance our family financially and socially."_

_A sense of doom came over him. He thought back to his grandfather's warnings from almost six months earlier. Once again he wished that his mother had listened to the old man's words. Standing before his grandmother he felt as if he were selling his soul. Yet he felt he had no choice. His mother had sacrificed her freedom for him. The least he could do was give in to the old woman's demands to make that sacrifice less costly._

_Bowing his head he said, "I agree."_

_"Then you shall start tonight. You will inform your mother that she is no longer welcome in your bed."_

_"Yes Obaasan."_

_"I will also expect a good report from your sensei by the end of next week."_

_"Yes Obaasan."_

_"And finally you will gain control over your emotions. It will do no good if your mother doubts the sincerity of your choice of husband. She must not be able to read your thoughts through your expressions. If you cannot convince her then all your efforts will have been in vain."_

_He felt the tears begin to form in his eyes. He tried desperately to hold them back, but one escaped, rolling down his check._

_"You will have to try harder than that boy. Tears are for the weak. Remember an enemy will exploit your weakness as soon as they can figure them out. Your tears provide nothing more than proof that you have been defeated."_

_"Yes Obaasan," he said. His throat hurt from holding back the remainder of his tears._

_"Then you are dismissed." She said._

_With that she returned to the papers in front of her. He silently made his way from her room. Walking quickly he left the main buildings of the house and headed for the surrounding forest. He had most definitely made a pack with a demon. His heart was heavy as he wondered if he had done the right thing._

_He hated the old woman. He hated her more than any person he had ever encountered. Yet he vowed that from that moment forward he would never show that hatred again. He would give in to her demands and he would earn his mother's freedom; even if it did cost him his soul._

"Are you alright?" a woman's voice broke through his memory.

He blinked and looked to see the woman from earlier. Her child was clinging tightly to her side as he peeked curiously at Ulquiorra. The older woman was no where to be seen.

"You were just staring of into space. I called to you a few times but you didn't respond. I was just about to call for medical help."

"I am fine." He said.

"Are you sure? There's a clinic around the corner from here. I don't mind walking you over there if you need assistance." She continued.

"No I do not require any help." He stated.

"Oh, ok then, if you're absolutely sure."

He simply nodded his head in response. She smiled in return and began to walk away. As he watched her leave, her hand tightly clasping that of her child, he called out, "Wait…"

She stopped and looked back at him.

"You should disregard the other woman's advice." He said simply.

"Excuse me?"

"The woman who was with you earlier. She is mistaken. You should never withhold your love from that child."

She smiled at his words and bowing slightly said, "Thank you."

With that she continued walking. As he watched her go he thought back over what he had just remembered. The new found insight did little to ease his mind. It would seem that he had been mistaken earlier. His soul had not given into despair at his death. Apparently he had surrendered his heart to the darkness long before he ever became a hollow.

* * *

**A.N.** More angst, but Ulquihime is coming. Thanks to all who reviewed. Please let me know how you liked it.


	18. Chapter 18

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

******

Chapter 18

Orihime stood by the window looking out at the snow that fell over the slopes at the Omoshiroyama Resort. The week with Tatsuki and her parents had been fun and exciting, but part of her was anxious to return home. She had left Friday with not so much as a word to Ulquiorra. He had continued to avoid her after their encounter in the library, and she really didn't want to bother him any further, so she left him alone. Now though after almost two weeks without really talking to him she was ready to chat, even if she had to drag him kicking and screaming into the conversation.

"So whatcha thinking about?" Tatsuki asked as she came up behind her.

"Just missing home, I guess." She replied.

"Home or maybe just Ichigo?" her friend teased.

"Ichigo?" she squeaked. In reality she hadn't thought about Ichigo once during the whole entire trip.

"Yeah, you know a certain orange haired, loud mouthed guy with a hero complex." Tatsuki laughed.

Orihime giggled as well. "Tatsuki you shouldn't talk like that!"

"But it's true." She countered. Then turning a little more serious she said, "You know you should just gather up your courage and tell him how you feel."

"How I feel?"

"Orihime it's obvious to everyone how you feel about him. Well everyone except Ichigo."

She blushed at her friend's remark. She hadn't realized that she had been so obvious.

"Of course spending so much time with Cifer may give him the impression that you have feelings for him instead. Of course that would be ridiculous."

"Ridiculous?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, that guy is definitely not your type. He's so serious and dark. I don't think I've ever seen him crack a smile. And then let's not forget that he used to be a hollow. I mean I know you want me to give a chance, but honestly you should try to give yourself a little distance. People are already beginning to talk."

"What do you mean?"

"I've heard talk about the two of you. Romantic stuff, you know. People think you two are together. If Ichigo hears that he'll back off."

People thought her and Ulquiorra were together. For some reason that didn't bother her in the least. Over the past six weeks she had thought less of Ichigo and more about Ulquiorra. Spending time with him was fun, and she had seen so many changes in him already. It was kind of exciting. She knew that Tatsuki had her best interests at heart, but a part of her began to wonder if maybe Ulquiorra was in her best interest.

She stared out the window again. Tomorrow they would return home, and she knew that she would seek him out. She was done playing games with him. She was going to find him and she was going to let him know how she felt. After that it would be up to him to decide what direction their friendship was going to take.

* * *

Ulquiorra stood beside the crater that was formed in the park from his visit with Yammy to the World of the Living months earlier. He had gone for a walk that morning to help clear his head. Orihime was due back in Karakura Town. In fact she probably arrived last night. He was eager to see her, but he didn't want to rush over right away. More than likely she was not too happy with him. His behavior before she left was cold, and though he had needed time to sort things out, he shouldn't have pushed her away like he had. Especially when she only wanted to help.

The week without her had shown him that. Actually it was Yoruichi that had driven the point home. She had appeared in his room the Sunday after his break began and announced that she had little tolerance for teenage sulking. She then promptly dragged him to a room beneath Urahara's shop that was very similar in appearance to Las Noches. She then explained that he was going to stop his brooding or she was going to beat it out of him.

And she had been serious. Her attack came quick and furious, but he responded in kind. He knew she would be a tough opponent, but enjoyed that about her. He had never been one to rely on his zanpakuto during a fight. He much preferred hand-to-hand combat and it seemed that Yoruichi felt the same way.

They sparred each day for hours. Sometimes they were alone, and sometimes Urahara and the others would come by to watch. As the week past he felt his strength and endurance return. At night he would fall into his bed exhausted from the hard work, but it felt good. He had pushed himself harder than he had in a long time and he had proved himself a worthy adversary.

Sometimes they would take a chance to rest and get something to eat or drink. Eventually they would talk. Their conversations were mostly about his life in Hueco Mundo and how he was fairing with Urahara and the other odd beings that lived with him. She seemed to enjoy listening to him talk about school and all the strange things that human teenagers did on a daily basis. But yesterday things changed. She touched on one topic that he really wasn't prepared to discuss.

"_So when are you going to admit to Orihime that you care about her."_

_He only stared at her._

"_Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about." She continued. "I've been watching you, and I have seen the way you are around her. It's obvious that you like her."_

"_I do not see how that would be any of your business." He countered._

"_It isn't, but I've never been one for conventional behavior." She said._

_He looked at her a moment longer and then said, "She has feelings for Kurosaki."_

"_Are you making excuses?"_

"_I do not need excuses."_

"_So tell me who does she spend more time with, you or Ichigo?"_

_He remained silent as he thought about that. _

"_She believes that she needs to show me how to have fun." He finally said._

"_So I suppose you see needs as more of an obligation?" she asked._

_He looked away. Why else would Orihime try so hard?_

"_I do not want to be another responsibility for her."_

"_Have you ever considered, in all your careful analysis of your relationship, that maybe Orihime just simply enjoys your company?" _

_His eyes opened wide at her remark. It was something that he wanted to believe, but couldn't understand. He had done so many things to her that nobody could forgive. How could he realistically expect her to forget that?_

_Suddenly he felt Yoruichi flick him in the head rather soundly._

"_Guys are such idiots." She said and then smiled. "If a girl doesn't spell it out for them they never see it coming."_

_With that she stood. The smile left her face and he could tell the break was over._

Now as he stood beside the place where he had first met Inoue he couldn't help but think about what Yoruichi had said. For a while he had noticed his feelings for Orihime changing, but he tried to ignore them. It was uncharted territory for him. He could not remember all of his past, but as a Hollow feelings for the opposite sex never was an issue. Even when he had regained his ability to reason, he found that he could not be bothered with such frivolous things as sexual attraction.

As a human though he found that sexual attraction was at the forefront of his thoughts. It bothered him that his mind drifted so often towards such illicit thoughts. More troublesome was that they were always about Orihime.

"_Have you had to discipline her yet?"_

Nnoitra's words popped into his head causing him to flush a deep red. At the time he had been disgusted by the Espada's crass remarks, but now it just called up even more erotic images.

He shook his head as if to clear it. Controlling his thoughts had become a full time job lately. Calming himself he focused his thoughts back on all he had learned over the past week. His memories of his past had begun to come back to him in a more frequent manner than before. Sometimes they came as he slept, other times a simple word or image could spark something in his mind.

He had discovered that his descent into darkness had come years before his death. He had kept true to his grandmother's bargain and had slowly begun to push his mother away. Those memories brought him great distress as the pain of his actions as a young child rushed through him again as sure as they were happening now.

But in that pain he realized something. He had abandoned his mother to spare her any more suffering. He now understood that his actions back then were only going to result in greater pain and loss. Yet he was doing the same thing with Orihime. He had pushed her away as well. Trying to shelter her from his past and more so from what he feared he may truly be in his heart. But in reality Inoue was the only person who would understand that part of him. She was the only one who had seen what he was truely like and never backed down in fear.

Suddenly he sensed her presence. Her reiatsu was as familiar to him as was his own. He turned and found her standing just outside the tree line. For a moment he was struck by how odd it was to be standing here like this. It was like living out their first encounter all over again.

"_Should I kill her?"_ Yammy's words came back to him.

"_Yes,"_ he said with little hesitation. _"She is just trash."_

How wrong he had been. He understood that now. It had taken all that he had lived through in the past few months to help him see that, but he realized that she was so much more.

Without thinking about his actions he began to walk over to where she stood. As he got closer he could see anxiety in her eyes, but something else as well. He stopped within a few feet of her and she smiled.

"I went by Urahara-san's shop this morning, but he said that you had left for a while. So I decided to go home and come back later. But then the idea came to me that maybe you would be at the park, so I headed over to the swings. But then I felt you here instead. I mean I've been able to sense your reiatsu for some time now, even if it has changed a little. After Hueco Mundo it wasn't as strong to me, but lately it has become clearer. I mean I can sense all my friends, Ichigo especially, but his is sort of dark and oppressive at times, but still I could find him even when he was hidden behind Hachi's barrier…"

He stepped forward and bridged the distance between them. She continued to talk, but all he could think about was how much he missed her, and how much he desired to be with her at that moment. Reaching out his hands he placed them on either side of her face and pulled her closer to him. With just a slight bit of force he brought his lips to hers. The action though did nothing to stop her momentum.

"… When I left him though Rukia was there, I guess she could sense him too…"

Her words suddenly died as she realized what was happening. He tensed slightly wondering if he had been too bold in his actions. Their eyes locked and after a moment hers slowly drifted shut. Her hands that had been hanging stiffly at her side now made their way tentatively to his back and she let out a soft sigh.

That tiny sound was all it took to shatter his fragile hold over his feelings. He captured her bottom lip between his and began to gently suck. She sighed again, this time opening her mouth a bit further. He replaced his lips with his tongue as he tasted her lips, and then a little more eagerly her mouth.

He felt her stiffen again and then she pulled back slightly breaking the light hold he had on her face.

"Oh… um… wow… I didn't expect… I mean it was nice but… Oh gosh…" she turned bright red and gazed down at her feet. Suddenly she lifted her head and said in a rush, "I almost forgot. I got you a gift."

With that she shoved a brightly colored bag in his face. He stared at it for a moment when she said excitedly, "It's a souvenir. I saw it in a shop and thought it would be perfect for you so I bought it. Go ahead open it."

He took the bag from her and slowly opened it. Reaching in he pulled out a soft, fluffy, white object. Upon closer inspection he saw that it was a child's stuffed animal.

"It is a cat."

"Yes, but it's not just any cat, look closely. It's wearing ski goggles and a little knitted hat. Isn't it cute?"

He continued to stare, completely at a loss as to what to say in response.

"But that's not the best part." She continued oblivious to his hesitation. "When you squeeze it," she demonstrated, "it purrs! It's so cute. Really do you like it?"

He stared a moment longer. "It reminds me of Grimmjow."

"Grimmjow?" she looked at it for a moment and then started to laugh. "No it's not. This kitty is all like 'purr' and Grimmjow was all like," she made her hand into the shape of a claw and held it next to her face, "roar."

His face remained expressionless as he tried to digest this new twist in their conversation.

"You don't like it do you?" she asked.

"No it was… thoughtful of you."

"But you don't like it."

"I have never possessed such an item. It will take a little getting used to."

That response seemed to be just what she needed to hear because she began to smile again.

"Oh and before I forget there's something else." She reached in the bag and pulled out a small container. "It's hot chocolate mix. I love it, especially when I'm really cold. So I thought maybe you would enjoy it too."

"That was thoughtful as well."

She smiled even wider.

"We could go back to my apartment and I could make some for us." She suggested.

The thought of being alone with her in her apartment made him think unchaste thoughts again. Unconsciously he grasped the cat in his hand rather tightly. It let out a purr which caused Orihime to laugh.

"So is that a yes?" she asked.

Feeling rather embarrassed he simply nodded in reply.

* * *

As they made their way to her apartment, Orihime tried to make small talk. She had been pretty flustered since their kiss back in the park, and she figured that the more she talked the less she would be embarrassed by her reaction. Ulquiorra for the most part remained silent replying occasionally with a nod of his head or a polite yes or no.

She wondered if he was as uncomfortable with what had happened as she was. She couldn't believe that she had acted so silly. The kiss, though unexpected, had been incredible. She had enjoyed it very much, even the sensations created when his tongue gently made its way into her mouth, but honestly she had been unprepared for it. She had always envisioned kissing in a more simplistic way. She never read any of the explicit materials that other kids her age read, so she didn't realize that there could be more than just lips locked together. Obviously Ulquiorra was more experienced than her and now probably found her reaction very childish.

Her vow to open up to him about her feelings seemed harder now to accomplish then ever. She feared that he would see her as nothing more than an immature, little girl. With so many more experienced girls to choose from at school he would most likely push her aside and forget about her.

They reached her apartment and she opened the door and let him inside.

"I'll just heat some milk and then mix this in."

She went into the kitchen and started to prepare the hot chocolate. She could hear him moving about in the other room. It sounded as if he was browsing through her bookshelves, and she worried for a moment that maybe he would find something embarrassing. After a moment she quickly dismissed that thought and continued heating the milk.

When the cocoa was done she made her way into the living room. Ulquiorra was standing by the book shelves, a book open in front of him. She placed the drinks on the table and then walked over to him.

"What's that?" she asked innocently.

In his hands she noticed was the notebook that she had written in before she left for Hueco Mundo.

"Oh, I didn't realize that was in there. I mean I know you said not to say anything to anyone, but if I didn't leave behind notes Rangiku and Captain Hitsugaya wouldn't know what to do with the apartment."

His expression gave her the impression that he didn't quite get what she was talking about. He looked back at the book and then asked, "What does this mean, _Goodbye halcyon days_?"

"Oh that," she said suddenly at a loss for how to explain what she had written. Taking a deep breath she gathered her courage and spoke from the heart. "I wrote it before I was set to go with you to Hueco Mundo. It's in reference to an end of childhood innocence. I guess I was feeling rather sad because I didn't think that I would ever see my friends again. The reality of the war finally hit me and I realized that it was time to let go of my youthful ideals and face the trials that I was yet to encounter."

His expression changed at her explanation. He looked down again at the notebook and replied, "I see."

Closing it he looked back up and handed the book to her. In his eyes she saw something that she had never seen him show before – remorse.

"Ulquiorra are you alright?"

In a soft voice he started, "I never questioned Aizen's orders. He was a genius when it came to strategy and I was flattered that he trusted me with his plans. I admired his ability to manipulate everyone around him. His plans were so intricate and detailed. He thought of everything, saw every possibility. Everything I did was for him and I never gave thought to anything or anyone else but Aizen and his desires. Now though I see the repercussions of my actions and the pain it caused you. I am sorry Orihime."

His apology along with the use of her name caused something within her to break. She had heard apologies from people before and accepted them on principle, but this was so sincere she knew that he truly meant it.

"I accept you apology and I forgive you." She said.

His expression changed again and she thought she saw relief in his eyes.

"So," she said suddenly uncomfortable with the seriousness of the conversation, "How about that hot chocolate?"

He nodded and headed over to the table. The sat down and she handed him a cup. He sipped it slowly and said, "This is very interesting."

"That's all?" she asked.

"I do not know what else you wish me to say." He replied.

"I don't know. I guess I just expected a little more enthusiasm."

"Not all people enjoy food as much as you do." He stated.

"I guess so. Rangiku is really the only friend I have that finds my cooking enjoyable."

"I find that very believable." he replied.

She laughed and then fell silent again. He drank a little bit more and then quietly put the cup down of the table. Looking up at her he asked, "Who was it that you said goodbye to before you left for Hueco Mundo?"

She startled at his question and then said, "I couldn't really decide. I followed Tatsuki around for a while, but in the end it was Kurosaki-kun."

"I see." He said. "I suppose I should have guessed that."

"Why is that?" she asked.

He looked a slight bit uncomfortable, another new emotion, and said, "It is quite obvious that you have feelings for Ichigo."

Her eyes grew big and she could feel herself turning red. "I… well… I used to… I… I didn't know it was so obvious… but it's not like that anymore."

He looked at her questioningly.

Gathering her courage yet again she blurted, "I like someone else now."

"Orihime…" he began but she cut him off.

"About what happened in the park, with the kiss earlier. I was just caught by surprise, that's all. It wasn't that I didn't like it, I just wasn't ready. But now I am so…"

She got up and moved over to sit next to him. Kneeling down she placed her hands on his shoulders and lowered her head towards his. Leaning in she placed her lips against his and kissed him.

She supposed it was the shock of the moment, but Ulquiorra remained rigid against her. She was about to pull back thinking she had made a big mistake when he reached up his hands and placed them behind her head. As he held her in place he returned her kiss with a little more force.

She always imagined fireworks exploding when she kissed a boy, but this was something else entirely. Oh it was hot like fireworks, but this heat seemed to come from her core. Excited by these feelings she pressed forward. Of course being a klutz she pushed too hard and they both toppled back to the ground. She heard a loud crack as Ulquiorra's head hit the floor and she worried that she had hurt him.

"Oh no, are you alright." She asked.

"I am fine Orihime." He replied.

"Oh, I guess I just got a little too excited there."

He looked up at her and she realized that she was lying on top of him. Sitting up abruptly she apologized and attempted to get up when his hands reached out and grabbed her by the waist.

"This time you are not getting away from me." He said softly.

A new heat began to spread through her being at his words. She liked the possessive way in which he spoke to her. Maybe he didn't find her so childish after all.

"I didn't know about kissing like that, you know with your tongue. I wasn't expecting it. I guess you know more about these things huh?"

He stared at her for a moment and said, "I do not remember. It just felt right. I did not intend to make you uncomfortable."

"Oh." She replied. Then blushing she said, "Maybe we could try again."

His eyes widen slightly at her suggestion, but he moved his hands towards her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. As their mouths met again she opened hers slightly and let him in. He was cautious at first, and she couldn't really blame him after the way she reacted earlier, then he became bolder. She returned his kiss just as confidently when suddenly she began to laugh.

Pulling back she said, "I'm sorry. It's just that you taste like chocolate."

He only stared at her in return.

"It won't happen again."

"Yes it will," he said. Pulling her close again he continued, "But I do not mind."

She couldn't help but smile at his words. Leaning down the rest of the way she kissed his lips lightly and then said, "I like chocolate."

To her surprise he smiled too.

"Chocolate is good." He whispered and then grabbing her tightly pulled her back to him for more.

* * *

**A.N. **I hope this isn't too rushed. So finally a little Ulquihime. Where to go from here - I don't know for sure. This isn't quite how I originally planned their first kiss, but I think with Orihime nothing ever goes as planned!

Please let me know what you think.


	19. Chapter 19

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

**

**Chapter 19**

"I told you I had connections." Orihime said with a smile. "And to think that you didn't believe I could get us up here."

"I stand corrected." He said.

"Well next time you'll believe me." She said and then giggled.

They snuggled together on the rooftop of one of Karakura Town's tallest apartment buildings. Orihime sat with her back to Ulquiorra's chest, her head resting on his shoulder, his arms wrapped loosely around her body. They shared a blanket to keep out the cold from the winter's night.

The week had flown by in a flurry of activities. They had picked up where they left off before Rangiku had come to visit. She brought him to some of her favorite places and taught him many of the games she enjoyed the most. Now with just one day left before they returned to school, she decided to take him stargazing.

"The sky in Hueco Mundo was so dark," she began, "and with only the moon for company it was incredibly lonely."

"Lonely?" he asked.

"Yeah, lonely. When I was little Sora used to bring me up here and point out the different constellations in the nighttime sky. We had so much fun together. Even after he was gone and I would miss him terribly, I would just have to look up into the sky and I would remember our time together, and I wouldn't feel so lonely."

"I see." He replied.

"Did you ever miss the stars while you lived in Hueco Mundo?" she asked.

"I never really paid attention to the sky. It was of no importance to me whether there were stars or not."

"It was one of the first things I noticed." She replied. "Without them I felt completely alone."

He gave her a slight squeeze to comfort her and then said, "I suppose your brother told you all the stories about the Yowatashi Boshi."

"He told me some, but there are many." She said and then brightening up continued, "He really liked learning about ancient cultures, especially the Greeks." Pointing towards a prominent constellation she said, "That one there is called Orion. He was a hunter. And those two are his dogs. Together they are after the bull, Taurus, over there."

"Interesting."

"Do you know any stories?" she asked.

"Only Japanese lore." He replied. Pointing to Orion he said, "Those three there are called the Mitsu Boshi. Though there are many different stories about them, my father used to tell me one about two sisters and an ogre."

"Oh sounds interesting."

"You have not heard that one?" he asked.

"Nope. Tell me about it." She said.

"Well the legend is that there were two sisters. They were carrying water back to their home. Suddenly an ogre began to chase them. They found a rope leading up to the heavens. The older sister quickly climbed it to escape, but the younger sister was slower because she had to carry the buckets with the water in them. In the end both got away, but the younger sister lost her foot to the ogre. You can still see them in the night sky. There," he said pointing towards the three stars that made up Orion's belt, "is the younger sister still carrying the water and chasing after her sister which is the moon."

"That's horrible."

"How is that?" he asked.

"That poor younger sister. It was bad enough the ogre ate her foot, but her older sister won't even help her carry the heavy buckets of water."

"It is her duty as the younger daughter."

"But she was injured. Carrying that water had to be really hard."

"That's the point. She showed great courage and strength to carry out her task in the face of such hardship. She is to be admired. Regardless of her lot in life she found the will to carry on towards whatever her future held."

"Wow, that's a pretty optimistic story coming from you." She teased.

"My father found inspiration in such stories. He was always trying to teach me lessons in such ways."

"He sounded like a great guy." She replied.

"He was an idealist."

"Is that so bad?" she asked.

"I suppose not. Considering the poverty my parents were forced into his outlook on life was most likely the reason we survived as long as we did."

"That might be true, but there's more to life than simply surviving from day to day." She said. "After all the things you told me about him this past week one thing is obvious, he loved you very much."

For some reason her comment caused him to stiffen slightly behind her.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked suddenly concerned.

"No, it is just that finding him, so to speak, after all this time and then losing him again has been unsettling."

"I'm sorry."

"There is no need for you to apologize." He said relaxing his arms slightly again.

They fell into silence for a few moments until she asked, "Was your mother an idealist too?"

"No, she was extremely pragmatic in her outlook on life." He said.

"So they were opposites; how romantic."

"Opposition can lead to strife. How is that romantic?" he asked in return.

"If you look at it that way, but it can also be about balance and harmony. Each person's strengths make up for the other one's weakness." She explained.

He remained quiet for a moment and then said, "I can see how that would make sense. I suppose her practical ways did tend to bring order to our home."

"And they loved each other very much, didn't they?" she asked rather dreamily.

"That they did."

Again they fell into silence until he quietly asked, "What about your parents?"

She jumped slightly at the unexpected question and then in a rush said, "Well you know, my parents weren't exactly the best of parents, and I guess you could say they were even worse partners."

"I have embarrassed you." He stated.

"No, no really you haven't. I just try not to think about my life before Sora took me away too much." She said. Then in a whisper she continued, "My parents may have loved each other at one time, but in the end they loved their alcohol more. I mean I guess that is the way it is with addiction. At some point you surrender your life to your needs, and lose track of what is truly important. They loved each other, and probably me and Sora as well, but that all became very twisted in the end.

"Sora didn't dwell on it for too long and he told me that I shouldn't either. He said that it wasn't my fault that they were like that, and there was nothing I could have done to change things. I guess there were things that happened long before I came along and my parents just couldn't cope. They tried to fill the emptiness with alcohol, but in the end it just wasn't enough. The more they drank, the more pronounced their pain became when they sobered up. Eventually they gave up on sobriety completely. It was then that Sora stepped in and took me away."

"I see." He said softly. "I did not mean to bring up such painful memories."

"It's ok, I understand things better now, so it's not as painful as it used to be." She replied. Then a little more upbeat she continued, "Things were difficult for us at times, and sometimes I would get really sad. Sora used to tell that it was ok to be sad. He said that sometimes you just had to live through the pain, not avoid it. After time you would get stronger and the pain wouldn't be so bad. He was right. If it wasn't for him I probably would have ended up being a big crybaby."

His arms tightened again around her and he said, "You possess a strength that you may not even be aware of. It frustrated me to no end in Hueco Mundo."

"I thought you said I was stubborn." She teased.

"Sometimes stubbornness is merely a sign of strength." He replied. "You may not enjoy fighting as Kurosaki claims, but you are a fighter. You should never doubt that about yourself."

She couldn't help but smile at his compliment.

"So you don't prefer a girlfriend that is weak and relies on you to rescue her?" she laughed.

For some reason her remark made him tense again.

"I was only kidding." She said. "You don't have to rescue me if you don't want to."

"It was not that." He replied.

"Oh? Then what was it?"

"I didn't realize that you considered us linked in such a way." He said.

"What? Oh you mean as boyfriend and girlfriend?" she asked and then turned slightly in his arms so that she could see his face. "I just assumed with all the kissing and stuff…"

Suddenly she became too embarrassed to continue.

"It will not bother you if people speak about us as such?" he asked.

"Why would it bother me?"

"I do not think Tatsuki will be too excited."

"She'll get over it eventually."

"And Kurosaki?"

She blushed deep red and said, "Why should he mind?"

"He does not exactly approve of our friendship."

"I guess he'll just have to deal with it." She said and giggled.

Her laugh brought a slight smile to his face, something that he had begun displaying more and more as the week progressed. Leaning down he brought his lips to hers and kissed her.

Pulling back he said, "I am glad you feel that way, because I no longer intend to share your affections with him."

With that he took her mouth more forcefully. She leaned in and linked her arms around his shoulders. Her body turned until she was flush against him, chest to chest. Trying to get more comfortable she repositioned herself, straddling his hips as she sat facing him.

This motion caused him to groan slightly; a sound she found she never tired of hearing. His hands began to unlatch the bindings on her winter coat. Reaching inside he pushed his hands up under her shirt. She jumped slightly and pulled back breaking their kiss.

"Your hands are cold." She said.

"Sorry," he murmured.

"It's ok; I just need to get used…"

Her words died in mid sentence as his fingers began to trace her spine in a light caress. The cold was quickly forgotten as her body began to heat up. Leaning forward again she recaptured his mouth.

They continued kissing and exploring each other until he shifted slightly and broke away from her mouth. Trailing light kisses down her neck he stopped as he hit her shoulder. Leaning his head against her he sighed.

"We need to stop." He said in a hoarse voice.

"We do?" she asked.

"Yes, we do." Was his simple reply.

He pushed her back slightly and rose stiffly to his feet. Bending down he offered her his hand.

"I should be getting you home."

"Oh, ok, if that's what you want."

"It is definitely not what I want." He replied. "But it is what we should do."

"Oh…" she said and blushed.

She rose to her feet and stood in front of him. He reached forward and buttoned her coat. She smiled at him and then took his hand. With their materials in hand they quietly prepared to make their way down off the roof.

Before they reentered the building she turned around and glanced back over the rooftop.

"Is something wrong?" Ulquiorra asked.

"No, nothing I guess."

They continued on, but she couldn't help but feel as if someone had been there. But that was silly. How could anyone get up there without taking the stairs? Dismissing the notion from her mind she followed Ulquiorra out of the building.

* * *

Ulquiorra made his way through the streets of Karakura Town. He had left Orihime at her apartment some time earlier. She had invited him in for something warm, but he had turned her down. His desire for her was threatening to overwhelm his practical senses. In fact he wouldn't have stopped earlier if he had not had the sense that someone had been watching them. He wasn't sure when he began to feel another presence, but it became much stronger as he and Inoue became passionately involved.

Now as he walked home the presence had returned. It felt somewhat dark, but he could sense that it was not a hollow. And though it reminded him a little of Kurosaki, he knew the teen would never do something as perverted as watch two people without their knowledge.

"That was quite a display earlier." A voice called from somewhere overhead. "You surprise me. I didn't realize that you were taking this new human lifestyle so seriously. For a moment I could almost forget that you used to be one of Aizen's great Espada."

He looked up and saw a figure sitting on a fence post a few feet in front of him. Jumping down the person came to stand in front of him. He had straight blond hair and a smile that reminded him strangely of Nnoitra. Though the presence was now becoming familiar to him, he still couldn't quite place him.

Hopping down from his position he continued, "I've gotta say it took all of my control earlier not to give myself away. After all Orihime was my first love. Honestly I was prepared to accept her feelings for Ichigo, but this is a rather unpleasant development."

He felt anger rise as he said, "You pervert. You were watching us earlier on the rooftop."

"Maybe you should save such private things for a private place."

He lashed out quickly attempting to punch the stranger hard in the face.

His opponent easily dodged his blow and laughing said, "You can't honestly expect to harm me in your current state."

Reaching out the teen simply flicked his fingers in Ulquiorra's direction and sent him flying several feet through the air. He landed hard against a concrete block wall that surrounded one of the homes on the street in which he had been walking. He could feel the air rush out of his lungs as the pain from the blow radiated through his body.

"You are really making this harder than it has to be. I'm not looking for a fight. I came here to help."

"You were spying and me and Orihime." He said.

"Well in my defense, I wasn't expecting such a _romantic_ moment. I was just looking out for my Orihime." He said dramatically. Then in a slightly more serious tone he continued, "That and a chance to catch you alone to discuss your situation."

"My situation?" he asked as he pushed away from the wall and approached the teen.

"Yes, the situation involving that hollow inside of you."

He could feel his heartbeat skip at the stranger's taunt. How could he know? He had told no one about his fears.

"I bet it really sucks. Trying to human, maybe even wanting to believe it, but inside of you is this monster screaming to get out."

"I do not know what you are talking about." He said in as a cool a tone as he could muster.

This caused the teen to smile.

"You can try to lie to me, but I can see it in your eyes, you're scared because even though you don't want to believe it, you know that I'm right."

"You are mistaken." He said dismissively. "I have no further need to listen to you."

As he began to walk away the teen put out his hand and placed it on his chest preventing him from leaving.

"Denial, denial, denial; just as stubborn as Ichigo." He said. His voice became very serious. "It's the most basic of facts; hollows can never become whole again. You may think you're human, but inside, deep down in that dark soul of yours, is a mindless animal waiting to devour you and everyone you care about."

"That's not true!" he yelled unable to restrain his emotions any longer.

"Why is that, because Orihime rejected that part of you?"

He couldn't respond. His answer sounded lame even to his own ears.

"She may have powers that rival the gods, but she is not a god. She could change you into a human, but she could never erase that part of you that lives in darkness."

"You are lying."

"If only I was." He simply replied as he brought his hand back to his side. "But I think we both know differently. Your reiatsu is changing, becoming darker. Of course for someone who wasn't paying attention, it would be negligible. You may not have even noticed it, but something tells me that's not the case. I can see it on your face; you've have your doubts about your humanity for some time now."

"But I am human." He reiterated.

"So is Ichigo." He replied. "Still I bet if I popped you out of that body you'd find your soul chain is already gone."

He remained silent at that remark. Staring intently at this stranger he asked in a whisper, "Who are you, and how do you know all of this or about Kurosaki?"

"I guess you could say I'm a friend of Ichigo's. We share a similar fate in a way." He replied wistfully. "Of course you and I share a common bond as well."

"What would that be?" he asked.

"We were both pawns in Aizen's schemes for power."

His eyes grew big at the revelation, but he remained silent.

"You see I used to be a Shinigami. Aizen's superior if you really want to know. But that sneaky bastard used me as part of an experiment. He wanted to know if hollowfication of Shinigami was possible. Against my will, and that of several others, he carried out his plans."

"You're a Vizard." He whispered.

"Ah, so Kisuke told you about us."

"To a degree."

"That's Kisuke. Never gives out any more information that is necessary." He paused and then said, "Hirako Shinji by the way."

He stared at Shinji for a moment and then asked, "If you hate Aizen so much, why would you want to help me?"

"I guess because we are kindred spirits in a way. I did not choose hollowfication, and I bet if we were to go back in time, neither did you. It was just a matter of fate that I moved on to the Soul Society and you descended into the darkness of Hueco Mundo."

"That is purely idealistic speculation on your part." He replied.

This brought a laugh from the former Shinigami.

"You are quite the funny one aren't you?"

"It is only the truth."

"Ok if that's how you want to be. You know I don't see the attraction. Orihime is so full of life and sunshine, and you my friend are as dark and depressing as they come."

"I am not your friend." He said.

"But we could be; friends that is. Honestly I am just trying to help."

"I do not understand what you would have to gain from our friendship, or how it would help me."

"Well actually I can help you conquer that hollow."

"Impossible."

"Nothing is impossible. Believe me if Ichigo could come to terms with his inner hollow so could you."

"I do not require your assistance." He said emphatically. "I am human. Whatever darkness exists inside of me is just a product of all my years in Hueco Mundo."

"You know for such an honest fellow, you sure know how to lie to yourself very well."

He remained silent at Shinji's remark.

The Vizard stepped forward slightly and leaning close to him whispered in his ear, "You can deny it all you want, but that hollow will eventually consume you. You can learn to control it before that happens, or you can lose this new life that you seem so comfortable with. But bear in mind if you do succumb to your inner hollow, Orihime will be the first one to pay the price. Without the power to reason you will most likely turn on her before anyone else."

With that he stepped back and said, "You decide, but if you ever need me just ask Ichigo. He knows where to find me."

With that he walked away. Ulquiorra could only stare after him. For weeks he had grappled with this new fear, but when Orihime returned he pushed it out of his mind. Now the doubts from before began to plague him again. What if Shinji spoke the truth? What if Orihime could not banish the hollow that he was completely from existence? If that were true then he had something greater to fear than the Soul Society finding out about his past. If he hollowfied again Orihime's life could truly be at risk.

He shook his head at the possibility. He would not return to the emptiness that was his existence in Hueco Mundo. He would turn himself over to the Soul Society before he would ever let himself harm Orihime. Death at their hands was much more preferable than the descent into madness that was hollowfication.

* * *

**A.N. **I wasn't sure about this chapter. I wanted this conversation to take place, but I wasn't sure if this was the best time or not. In the end I think it plays out better with the story. I like surprises in my stories, but this kind of lays out the plot in definate terms.

From here on out it will be a delicate balance between lots of angst and hopefully just as much tender moments. I hope I can pull it off.

Thanks to all the reviewers out there. I appreciate all the comments. It helps to keep my momentum going.


	20. Chapter 20

_I do not Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

******

Chapter 20

_The chill of winter began to pass as spring's warmth brought the promise of new life and all its possibilities, but inside Daisuke's heart a cold had taken hold that threatened to overtake him entirely. Once again he knelt before his grandmother, this time his mother joined him. For six months his mother had entertained the three suitors that his grandmother had chosen. Though he had opportunities to observe her interaction with the men, he was never allowed to formally meet them. The old woman had been very adamant that his identity be kept a secret. _

"_A year has passed since Hiromasa's passing." His grandmother began. He noticed his mother stiffen slightly as the old woman continued, "It is time to leave his memory to the past and forge ahead with a new life."_

"_Okaasan," his mother started, but was quickly cut off as the old woman put up her hand to stop her._

"_It is time Asako. You have had plenty of time to heal your heart. I've have allowed you much liberty with the men that I have chosen, but the time has come to make a decision for your future that best suits our family."_

_He stared straight ahead, but from the corner of his eye he could see his mother clenching her fists even as she bit her tongue. He had learned over the past year showing emotion in front of the old woman only gave her greater leverage. He had become quite skilled at hiding his feelings. For six months he had kept to his end of the bargain. He had done everything that his grandmother had demanded. Now was the final test. If he could not convince his mother to accept the man that he felt was best for her, all his work would be for naught._

"_The only decision to be made here is what best suits you." His mother said in a whisper._

"_Is that truly how you feel Asako? How ungrateful you have become. Have I not provided you with a home and plenty to eat? Have I not provided Hiromasa's son with every opportunity to better his station in life? All I ask in return is that you fulfill your duty to this family and marry a man from an honorable family."_

"_I am no more than a brood mare to you." His mother lashed out._

_His grandmother moved with lightening quick speed and struck his mother hard across the face. He remained motionless, his expression never changing, yet inside a spark of anger burned. He wanted nothing more than to strike back with equal force at the old woman, but he knew better. Everything that occurred was for the best. His mother would see that eventually._

"_You are as insolent as the day you left here eleven years ago. Has your unfortunate existence taught you nothing!" his grandmother exclaimed. "I have allowed you back into this family. I have provided for your child. It is now time for you to accept your fate."_

"_But I do not love any of these men…" _

"_Love is a foolish emotion. It does little to benefit you. Better that you have no feelings for these men, lest they use your emotions to manipulate you." The old woman replied._

_His mother remained silent. A slight tremble shook her body. He understood that she was close to breaking. His heart screamed out in pain as he stood silently beside her. Still he held his mask of indifference firmly in place. It would do him no good to lose control now._

_In a soft voice his mother said, "I can't do it."_

_He noticed the slight flare to his grandmother's nostrils. It was the only sign of her fury. Gazing straight ahead he said without emotion, "Then what will become of us?"_

_His mother turned her attention towards him._

"_We will survive."_

"_I thought father was the dreamer." He replied coldly. "It would seem that your practical sense has fled as well."_

_Her eyes grew wide at his response and he noticed red stain her cheeks._

"_You cannot talk to me like that Daisuke. I am still your mother."_

"_Your responsibilities to the child are coming to an end." His grandmother interrupted. _

"_What do you mean?" his mother asked. He could hear the fear in her voice. "Daisuke is my son. He will always be my child."_

"_It is for the best that no one knows who he truly is. We do not need any unpleasant reminders of your past mistakes souring your future marriage."_

"_My child is not an unpleasant reminder, and I will not let you regard him as such." His mother stated. Her fear had given way to anger._

_He locked gazes with his grandmother. Her eyes said everything. He had to act now or all would be lost. The old woman would force his mother into a marriage with the least desirable of the three choices._

"_You disappointment me mother." He began. "I have done everything that has been asked of me. I accepted your decision to leave our home and forge a new life here and yet now that I actually have these opportunities that you promised me, you would selfishly throw them away."_

_He heard her sharp intake of breath at his words. Reaching out she grabbed his arms in her hands and pulled him close in a tight embrace._

_He remained stiffly in her arms, fighting the urge to reciprocate her affections. If he did not push her away now, she would always cling to him, and her future would be one of misery._

"_We could make it, Daisuke." She whispered into his ear. "We are strong, you and I. Somehow we would survive."_

"_You are mistaken woman." He replied._

_She pulled back and stared at him. Searching his eyes she looked for something, and not finding it, said to his grandmother, "What have you done to him?" And then her voice rose in pitch as she reiterated, "What did you do to my son!"_

"_I do not know what you are talking about." The old woman replied. _

"_You know damn well what I am talking about." She yelled as she stared even deeper into his eyes. "You have snuffed out the flame that lit his heart. He is just as cold now as you."_

"_Your son understands the situation Asako. Thankfully none of Hermosa's idealistic nature has soiled him. It is almost a shame that he cannot inherit my family's lands. He no doubt would run them with efficiency and prudence."_

_His mother continued to look into his eyes. Tears began to form in her own, and spilled down her cheeks. A deep, penetrating pain began to radiate from his heart. He found it hard to breath. A panic began to spread through him. If she continued to hold him like this he feared that he would lose his control. He had to push her away and reality was his only tool left._

"_What is your decision woman?" he asked. _

_She looked at him searchingly for a moment more and then released him from her grasp. She then turned and fixed her stare on his grandmother instead. The panic inside of him lessened. His control remained in place._

_In a voice so soft he had to strain to hear her, his mother said, "I suppose you have decided on a man you feel would best serve our family and its position."_

_He could tell from her tone of voice that she was broken. The will to fight had left her and she would accept her fate. _

_He looked to his grandmother. He had trusted her to keep to her end of their deal. She smiled slightly and said. "I do believe that Wakahisa would be the best of choices. His family has connections to the Shogun that would serve us well. And though he is somewhat of a simpleton, I do not fear that any offspring will suffer too greatly from it. It is quite obvious that our family's intellect and strength of character can rise to the top, regardless of who tries to contaminate the bloodline. Wouldn't you agree child?" _

_He remained silent at her taunt. He understood that she was testing him. Her words were only meant to remind him that she still held the power even though he had succeeded in his task. _

_She had chosen the man least likely to pose a physical or emotional threat to his mother. It was obvious that Wakahisa was enamored with Asako as well. He would do whatever she told him to do. A marriage to him would provide his mother with security and peace._

"_Your presence is no longer necessary child." The old woman said. "You may leave us."_

_He rose to his feet and bowed low. "Yes Obaasan."_

_His mother gazed straight ahead and never acknowledged him as he left. Though he had won her freedom to a degree, he had lost her. His young heart had not fully realized what his actions would ultimately cost him._

_The pain from earlier became even more pronounced. He gasped for air as he made his way through the corridors and out of the main house. He continued on, led more by instinct than anything else, to a place that he had found a few months earlier. He sat quietly on a large rock that marked the entrance to a cave in the hillside. If he waited patiently he knew that they would come._

_Silently, with the pain eating away at him slowly, he sat and waited. Finally at dusk he heard them as they made their way into the early night's sky. The flapping of their wings became deafening as they made their way from the cave. They did not scare him. He understood why they had come forth. _

_As he watched them fly away he felt the tears, hot and bitter, begin to stream down his face. He didn't bother to wipe them away. It wouldn't matter. After tonight he didn't ever plan to cry like this again. After all there was no one left anymore for him to shed tears over. He was alone now. His father was dead, his mother would start a new life where he was no longer welcome, and the only relative that he would have contact with was an old woman that would never love him._

_When the tears refused to come anymore he still remained, rooted to his spot by the entrance to the cave. He was spent and empty. His heart no longer ached, though he doubted it would feel much of anything anymore. He was unaware of the time, but he knew they would return as soon as they had eaten their fill. When they returned he would head home. _

_Time passed slowly, but eventually he heard them approach. They entered the cave again. If they were aware of his presence, they did not acknowledge it. He knew many people feared them, but he did not. He envied them. They were free, unbound by the laws and morals of society. Only instinct ruled their world. They fed when they were hungry and they slept when they required rest. There was a simplistic beauty to their existence. If only he could be like them._

_Maybe in another lifetime he would gain such freedom. Then he would not need to be a slave to his heart and the pain would never touch him. In the darkness of the night he decided that this would be his desire. To be free of the burden that was the human heart. With that decision made he began the journey back home._

* * *

Ulquiorra awoke with a gasp. Rolling onto his side he clutched at his chest. The pain was intense and he wondered if he was dying. He had lost her, no he had forced her away, and the pain was as fresh now as it had been that night.

An agitation coursed through his body. All the emotions that he had hidden away and forgotten came flooding back to him. The force of it was almost more than he could bear. Pushing up onto to all fours he struggled to breath.

"_Your inability to mask your feelings is a weakness that will always give your enemies the upper hand."_ His grandmother's voice reminded him.

"I was just a child." He whispered.

How could she have placed such a decision in his hands? What kind of monster would give such a choice to a child? But did he really have a choice? As a child he saw the old woman's offer as a bargain of sorts. He gave her what she wanted and she would spare his mother, but now after all the experiences he had gained he saw it differently.

His eyes opened wide as he realized what had truly been at play. The old woman had been manipulating him from the very start. She had already chosen Wakahisa for his mother. His choice was inconsequential. But by presenting such obviously distasteful options along side him, she guaranteed that he would choose Wakahisa as well. She had used his love for his mother, and his fear for her wellbeing, to bend him to her will. He had done everything she demanded of him without question because he had believed his actions made a difference.

"Damn it!" he hissed. How could she do that to him?

"_You were weak."_ A voiced hissed in his ear.

He stiffened at the sound.

"_The weak are always the easiest to exploit." _The voiced continued.

He sat back on his knees and looked around the room. It was empty, but he could feel the presence of another. The air was dark and thick with it. He shook his head trying to clear his thoughts.

"You do not exist." He said softly. This is just my mind fixating on Hirako's words from earlier.

"_Do you honestly believe that woman could reject me?"_ the voiced teased

"Shut up!" he said in a low voice.

"_You and I are one in the same Daisuke. Our existence is intertwined."_

No. He refused to acknowledge the voice. He refused to give any credence to its existence. He was human now. The darkness from his life in Hueco Mundo no longer existed.

"_I am a part of you that you can never erase. Our bond goes way beyond Hueco Mundo. I have existed within your heart long before death took your soul"_

Impossible, he thought as he clutched at his chest again. His breathing became more erratic and he began to sway slightly. The spiritual pressure was weighing heavily on him. It was so oppressive he found it hard to remain upright.

"_You cannot deny me." _The voice continued._ "Have you forgotten the power that I wield?"_

He placed his hands over his ears hoping to quiet the voice, but it was useless. What he had feared most was a reality. The voice and the dense spiritual energy were inside of him, and if he didn't gain control of both he was going to lose himself.

He focused on the spiritual energy that he was releasing. With great effort he began to suppress it. I am stronger than this, he thought to himself. I can keep it under control.

"_You can no longer ignore me Daisuke. Eventually I will come for you and all those that have had the misfortune of befriending you."_

"Never." He said through gritted teeth.

He pushed with everything left within him and suddenly the pressure was gone. He fell to all fours panting heavily. He would control this. He had always been in control of his emotions. He would deal with this as well.

Shinji's remark from earlier came back to him. _"Bear in mind if you do succumb to your inner hollow, Orihime will be the first one to pay the price. Without the power to reason you will most likely turn on her before anyone else."_

"That will never happen." He called out into the silence. "I will not allow it."

* * *

Orihime sat up in her bed with a start. An uneasy feeling had forced her from her sleep. Now that she was awake she could feel it even stronger. A dark, oppressive spiritual energy made the air in the room so thick that it was hard to breath.

"I know this reiatsu." She whispered.

It was like Ichigo's before he would don his hollow mask. Yet it was different. She let it flow around her and she tried to place it. She knew she should be afraid, but she wasn't.

Then she heard his voice in her memories, _"Are you afraid?" _

Ulquiorra! That was why it was familiar. It had been so long since she had felt it, but now that she recognized it, it was painfully obvious. This is what he felt like. This was that dark part of him that she had driven away when she rejected his death. But if she had rejected his existence as a hollow, how could his dark reiatsu still remain?

Her eyes opened wide as a thought entered her mind, and for the first time since she had met him she found that she was truly afraid. What if she hadn't rejected that part of him? What if she had only been fooling herself about who he was?

Suddenly the energy dissipated. What exactly was happening? Was his life in Karakura Town just a lie or was all of this just another manipulation on his part? He had played her before by using her emotions against her. Could that be all this was? Had this been his plan for revenge all along?

She had trusted him and let him become an important part of her life. What if Tatsuki had been right? What if in the end he was simply biding his time until he could destroy them all?

* * *

Ulquiorra sat on his futon with his back to the wall. He held a book in his hand and was attempting to read. Anything to distract him from the troubling thoughts that had been plaguing him all morning. He had not gotten back to sleep after the incident earlier and he was fighting exhaustion. Still he didn't want to sleep.

A light tapping at his bedroom door roused him from his thoughts.

"You may enter." He said.

The screen was pushed open and Orihime peeked inside. He had not expected to see her as they had agreed to spend the day getting caught up on the work for school that was assigned over the break.

She wore a slight scowl, but underneath it he could sense anxiety. She was obviously grappling with something that was bothering her, but he had no idea what it could be or if he was somehow responsible.

She stepped inside his room and closing the screen said, "I know we agreed to spend the day apart but…"

She bit her lip and he could tell that he had been mistaken. It was not anxiety but fear that caused her such discomfort.

"Orihime what is troubling you?" He said as he stood and made his way to where she stood. "Has someone been bothering you?"

She shook her head, but remained silent.

"I am not in the mood to play games." He said rather harshly. His own fears began to intrude upon his self control.

Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her face. He was reminded of his memory of his mother from earlier and a part of him froze.

"I'm sorry…" she began but stopped as her voice began to hitch.

His hands were held stiffly at his side, and though he knew he should comfort her, he couldn't. Inside he felt just like that nine year old boy that needed his mother's love so desperately, but couldn't keep a hold of it.

She began to cry harder, and suddenly he found the trance that held him from acting break. He reached out and brought her into his embrace. Gently he stroked her hair with one hand as the other held her firmly against him. He stood wondering what had her so upset, but did not want to push her for an answer.

After some time her sobs stopped. She raised her head slowly and looked into his eyes. The fear was more apparent than before.

"What has happened?" he asked gently.

She stared at him a moment more and he was reminded of his mother's searching gaze. Would Orihime find his heart lacking warmth as well?

"Orihime?" he asked suddenly very worried.

"I just needed to be sure of you." She whispered.

"I do not understand." He replied.

"Last night I had," she hesitated and then continued, "a bad dream. It just left me feeling scared and I guess I just needed to know that everything was ok."

"Were you afraid for my safety?" he asked.

"I guess… I don't know… I just… it was so dark Ulquiorra. I couldn't breathe because it was so dark…"

He couldn't help but stiffen at her remark. Could she have felt his inner hollow? Had his reiatsu been that strong?

Resting her head against his chest she said, "I could always sense Ichigo's reiatsu. Sometimes it would become so dark, especially in Hueco Mundo, but I wasn't afraid because I always knew that his heart was good."

What was she saying? Did she doubt him? Was this why she was so afraid?

"You doubt my heart?" he asked. "You do not trust my intentions?"

She pulled back slightly and looked deep into his eyes.

"At first I didn't know what to believe." She said. "But now, being here with you I know that my fears were unfounded."

He pulled her close to him again and said emphatically, "I will never hurt you Orihime. No matter what happens I will not allow harm to come to you."

He kissed the top of her head gently. "I am no longer the man I was in Hueco Mundo. That part of me is gone. My life is here now, with you and your friends. That is now what I desire. That is what I will always fight to protect."

Even though he knew he had not been completely truthful with her he meant what he had said. He would fight for this life with everything he had. He had lost all that was dear to him in his previous life. He refused to let that happen in this one. He would control his inner hollow. No one would ever need to know about the darkness that existed within his heart, especially Orihime.

* * *

A.N.

This chapter was as important to the story as the fight scene with Tatsuki. I wanted it to flow properly and be believable so I spent a lot of time revising it. I hope it conveyed what I was trying to get across.

The line from Orihime ~ I just wanted to be sure of you ~ is actually from _Winnie the Pooh_. It says a lot. Just a little wisdom from Piglet!

Thanks to **Professor Stein **for the insights into Ulquiorra's battle with his inner hollow. It has really helped me firm up my ideas for that part of the story. As always reviews are appreciated and helpful. Writing in isolation would produce a very one-sided story. That's why I love this format. Please let me know how you liked the chapter.

I doubt the chapters will come as quickly for a while. I have a lot of reading and projects for work so I won't have as much free time, but I will try to write when I can.


	21. Chapter 21

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

******

Chapter 21

Ulquiorra stood quietly at her apartment door as Orihime rushed about gathering her things for school.

"You should work harder at moving more quickly in the morning. If we do not leave soon we will be late for school." He said.

"I know, I know." She replied as she hopped on one foot trying to secure her shoe on the other. "I try to get up on time, but once I hit the snooze button, it's hard for me to catch up."

She almost stumbled into him, but caught herself at the last minute.

"Alright, I'm ready to go!" she said as she grabbed her book bag.

She followed him out the door and turned to lock it.

"You know I can't wait to see everybody again. Having a break is nice, but I miss my friends." She said as they made their way down the stairs.

He remained silent at her comment and when they reached the sidewalk she couldn't help but ask, "You're excited too aren't you; at least just a little bit?"

"I suppose it will be good to see all of your friends again." He answered.

Linking her free arm through his she reached for his hand and said, "They're your friends too."

He gave her a sideways glance at her remark and then returned his gaze forward.

She refused to let the conversation drop so she persisted, "Honestly Ulquiorra, you even said so yesterday that you wanted to be their friends."

"I said that I wished to remain with you and your friends."

"Exactly!" she exclaimed.

He turned and looked at her questioningly.

"Wanting to be with me and my friends is the same as wanting them to be your friend."

He once again turned his gaze forward.

Frustrated by his lack of response she said, "I don't know why you are being so stubborn. Are you afraid that they'll reject you?"

His hand tightened slightly around hers and then his grip lessened again. She wasn't even sure if he realized his reaction, but she felt it.

In a gentle voice she asked, "You are worried aren't you?"

"I do not worry woman." He replied rather brusquely.

Woman; he had not used that term in over a week. She understood what it meant. She had struck a nerve. Still she did not want to push him any further.

Squeezing his hand affectionately she simply said, "Everything will be fine. After all you've already been accepted. When we get to school, you'll see for yourself."

With that she let the conversation drop. They walked the remainder of the way in silence. When they entered the schoolyard she couldn't help but notice that people were staring at them as they passed by. She dismissed it at first, but after a few minutes she began to get anxious.

"People are looking at us funny." She whispered.

"I am guessing that they are surprised to see your hand in mine in such a familiar manner." He replied.

"Oh my gosh!" she gasped. "I forgot about that."

Reflexively she began to let go of his hand, but he only tightened his grip.

"Does it bother you to be seen like this with me?" he asked.

"No, no. Not at all. I just… I guess I didn't realize…"

She quickly shut her mouth as she realized she was only making things worse. Instead she returned his grip with squeeze of her own.

In a soft whisper she said, "I've never had a boyfriend before."

She instantly blushed red from head to toe at her own admission.

He stopped and turned to look at her. "You have plenty of friends that are boys."

"Yes, but… it's just a term…"

"I understand, but it is an inadequate term." He replied.

She felt a heat rush through her at his answer. His voice held the suggestion of something much deeper. He stared for a moment longer at her, then turned and continued to walk towards the building, his hand still holding hers tightly.

They made it as far as her locker when Tatsuki found them. She was trading out her shoes, and was thankful that her friend had not found them a moment sooner.

"Orihime," she began. Her voice was clipped and she knew her friend was fighting to control her emotions. "I would like to speak to you," she glared at Ulquiorra, "alone."

She looked at Ulquiorra. In his usual unemotional tone he said, "I will see you in the classroom."

She smiled as he left, but her smile fell as soon as she turned back to her friend.

"We've been friends for quite some time." Tatsuki began.

"You're my best friend." Orihime interrupted.

"Yeah, we are best friends." Tatsuki replied. The anger in her voice was more apparent. They stared at each other in silence. She began to feel uncomfortable when Tatsuki continued, "Why didn't you tell me about him?"

"Ulquiorra? You've known about him…"

"Not that Orihime. Fuck, as if that isn't bad enough! No I am talking about the two of you"

She couldn't help but flinch at Tatsuki's words.

"I heard from the gossips on my way into school this morning. I'm your best friend and yet I had to hear second hand about you and _him_!"

"Tatsuki, I'm sorry," she said softly. "It just happened so fast and we were having so much fun and I didn't think to say anything and I know how you feel about him…"

"You should have told me."

She bowed her head and felt a tear slip down her cheek.

"I should have, but I didn't want anything to ruin it."

Tatsuki grew very still. Orihime looked back up and was surprised to see her friend shaken at her statement.

"You think I would try to ruin your happiness?" she asked apparently stunned by Orihime's confession.

"I know that you don't like him."

"With good reason."

"Tatsuki, he's not the same person. I know you don't believe me, but if you just gave him a chance…"

"I don't see why I should have to do that?" she said rather petulantly.

"Because you're my best friend." Orihime replied firmly.

Tatsuki stared at her for a moment and then asked, "Is that an order?"

Orihime couldn't help but smile, "You betcha!"

A slight smile crept onto Tatsuki's face. "When did you become so determined?"

"I always have been. It's just that I was afraid to stand up for myself. I didn't want to make people unhappy. Everyone has been so good to me. It wouldn't be right to refuse to do as they asked."

"Is that how you really see things? Did I make you feel that you couldn't truly express your feelings?" she asked in disbelief.

"No Tatsuki, that's not quite what I meant. I just didn't want to upset you." She responded.

"And now you don't care?"

"I still do care, but I also care about Ulquiorra and his happiness. I want you to give him a chance."

"This isn't like you at all Orihime."

"No," she smiled, "I guess it's time for a change."

"Because of him" Tatsuki replied.

She smiled and said, "Because of me."

This brought a smile to Tatsuki's face. That was all the encouragement Orihime needed. She lunged forward and grabbed her friend in a fierce hug.

"I love you Tatsuki! And you just wait and see you'll find out that he's really not so bad once you get to know him, and he wants to be friends with everyone so that's a positive step. I mean I know that he can be prickly and all, but so can Ichigo and Uryu…"

"Orihime it's okay, I get it. You can let go."

She stepped back anxiously, but smiled when she realized that Tatsuki was only teasing her.

"This doesn't mean that he's getting a free ride. You are really too forgiving a person. Someone's got to watch out for you." Tatsuki said.

"Sometimes forgiveness is all people need in order to change." She replied.

"Unbelievable!" Tatsuki whispered.

She smiled and said, "Maybe we should get going."

"Yeah I guess so, but I'm warning you, if you two become one of those sick couples that hang all over each other and talk nonsensical love babble, I will have to hurt you."

The idea of Ulquiorra being all sappy and overly romantic made her laugh hysterically.

"You find that funny?"

"Extremely," she replied grabbing her sides.

Suddenly Tatsuki began to laugh as well. "Yeah, I guess it would be a little out of character for him."

"Just a little," she cried. She tried to calm herself but it was impossible. She rode the wave of her laughter until she was completely spent. She only hoped that when she saw him again in class that she wouldn't lose it again.

* * *

Orihime entered the classroom just as the bell rang. She quickly made her way to her desk barely sparing him a glance. Ulquiorra couldn't help but wonder if Arisawa had said something to change her mind about him. As he sat staring at her she turned and smiled. Then she quickly faced forward. He could tell that she was trying hard to keep from laughing. He continued to stare at her, but she refused to look his way anymore.

He dared not even begin to imagine what strange scenario was playing out in her mind. At least she was in good spirits. It would seem that regardless of what Tatsuki had wanted to discuss with her, Orihime was not bothered.

Finally giving up on regaining her attention he turned his gaze back to the front of the room and the lesson that had started. He tried to focus his attention on the material being presented, but he found that he couldn't concentrate. His mind drifted back to the previous afternoon. They had ended up together on his futon. Orihime had snuggled close to his side, his one arm wrapped securely around her, while the other held the book that he had been reading before she had arrived. As she rested her head against his chest he read to her softly until after a while he noticed her breathing even out. Glancing down he found that she had drifted off to sleep while he had been reading.

He laid the book down and brought his other arm around to embrace her. This newfound intimacy with her was something he could not remember sharing with anyone else. In Hueco Mundo the female Arrancars were just as aggressive as the males, and more likely to harm you if angered. Besides he had had no desire to form a bond with another, until now. Orihime sparked something within him that went far beyond the adolescent stirrings that his body was now prone to. She spoke to that part of him the craved affection and comfort; especially now as all of his memories were returning in such a painful way.

Shinji's words from the other night came back to him.

_You know I don't see the attraction. Orihime is so full of life and sunshine and you my friend are as dark and depressing as they come. _

He supposed that to her friends and acquaintances it would appear that way, but he knew now that there had been a time in his life when he had been just as full of nonsensical dreams as she. Though, she was admittedly older to still act in such a way, her manner appealed to that carefree part of him that had been snuffed out by his grandmother's demands.

Glancing back to where she sat he silently observed her as she listened to the teacher. She had a dreamy smile on her face that left him once again wondering where her thoughts were leading her. Without realizing it he began to smile slightly in return.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ichigo suddenly whispered to him.

"There is nothing wrong with me." He whispered back.

"Is something going on with you and Orihime, because you both are acting stranger than usual." He replied.

"Get your head out of your ass Ichigo." Arisawa interrupted. "They're dating. It's all over school."

"That's a load of crap." Kurosaki said. He then looked at Orihime and back at Ulquiorra. "She is full of crap isn't she?"

He found it hard to contain the smile that formed at Ichigo's obvious discomfort.

"Arisawa is telling the truth." He replied.

Ichigo suddenly turned green. His hand flew to his mouth and he stood rather abruptly.

"Is something the matter Ichigo?" the teacher asked.

"I think he's going to vomit." Ulquiorra said calmly.

"Oh go then, quickly." She replied.

Ichigo bolted from the room. Arisawa let out a slight laugh and said, "That almost makes all this worth it."

Orihime looked with surprise at her friend and then at him.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Sometimes the truth is hard to stomach I guess." He replied.

Yet he found Ichigo's reaction was one of the sweetest things he had tasted in a long time.

* * *

He left the school yard alone that afternoon. Orihime had one of her clubs after school and then planned to eat with Tatsuki and her family that evening. He hadn't gone far when he felt a familiar presence come from behind.

Without turning around he said, "Hey Uryu, I haven't seen much of you today."

The teen caught up with him and replied, "You seemed a little preoccupied with Inoue. I didn't want to intrude."

He remained quiet at Ishida's remark. The news that he and Orihime were suddenly and 'item' had spread around the school like a wild fire. Chizuru had spent the afternoon lamenting the fact that her 'Hime' was being wasted on such a gloomy guy, and Asano whined the entire way to his locker after classes about how unfair it was that he could just walk in and take the cutest girl in the school. He had ignored them both, but he found that he was curious as to what Uryu would say about it.

Without waiting for his reply Ishida continued, "So did you really expect to keep something this monumental a secret for long."

"I admit that I did not expect it to spread quite so fast, but I suppose that is the way it is with human teenagers." He replied.

"Other people are aware?" Uryu said sounding surprised.

"Apparently Tatsuki approached Inoue this morning, and Chizuru and Asano have been harassing me all day."

"Chizuru and Asano know?"

"Well many people do. It was not something I was intentionally hiding. Personally I do not understand this fascination people have with each other's personal lives. It makes it difficult to remain inconspicuous."

"I can't believe that you don't care about people finding out. This is very serious. I don't think I have to remind you that it affects Inoue just as much as you."

"Orihime and I have discussed this and it was her decision in the end to be open with everyone. Admittedly I can see where you may find this unpleasant. After all you know about our past relationship. Considering it was I that brought her to Hueco Mundo it would seem that I would be that last person she would want to become intimately connected with…"

Uryu stopped dead in his tracks. His face had drained of all color, and in a deadly quiet voice he whispered, "What they hell are you talking about?"

He stopped as well and turning to the Quincy said, "The fact that Orihime and I have formed an attachment to each other."

Ishida's face went from white to red almost instantly.

"You think that I would trouble you about something as insignificant as your relationship with Orihime? Do I come across as that shallow and immature?"

He stared at Uryu for a moment. He searched his mind as he tried to figure out what the teen was talking about, but the only thing he could come up with was the one thing he refused to discuss with anyone.

"You know I would expect this kind of inane, oblivious conversation to take place with Ichigo." Uryu said in a cold, detached voice. "I didn't think I would have to spell things out for you, but if you insist on acting so ignorant than I will get to the point using words that even a simpleton could understand."

Uryu paused and stared intensely at him. "How long did you think you could continue this charade that you are human?"

His insides went cold at Ishida's words, and he was sure that the shock at the Quincy's words was evident on his face. Still he tried to react in his usual calm and unaffected manner.

"I do not know what you are talking about. I am just as human now as the rest of you."

Uryu reacted quickly. Grabbing him by his coat he slammed him hard against the building that they were standing next to. He brought his face close to his and said in a harsh, but quiet voice, "Cut the bullshit Ulquiorra. I'm not some imbecile. I am very well aware of what is going on with you. Your spirit energy has always been higher than usual, but lately it has gotten stronger and darker."

He only stared back in silence. Uryu was the only person besides Orihime that he had had a true desire to befriend, but he understood that the Quincy would just as soon kill him then let him harm Orihime and the others.

"Say something!" Uryu began. "Lie to me. Tell me that I'm full of crap."

He only continued to stare.

Uryu tightened his fists in Ulquiorra's coat, and pushing his back harder against the wall said, "So this is how you want to play. Fine, I'll do all the talking then. You see I've sensed that dark side to your spiritual energy for some time now, but I dismissed it. After all Ichigo is much the same way. But the other night everything changed. That darkness exploded, and even if only for a few minutes, it was almost as heavy and oppressive as that time atop Las Noches."

Once again his mask of calm indifference slipped.

"Of course I am admittedly more attuned to these things than others, but even someone with minimal spiritual awareness could have felt that. Maybe they dismissed it as a bad dream or irrational fear, but I know differently. And I'm not the only one. Spiritual energy that powerful was most likely detected by the Soul Society. So you can walk around acting like everything is okay, but I know better. Your life is at risk, and your life goes hand in hand with Inoue's."

Grabbing Ishida's hands he forced him to release his coat and shoved him away. With a hint of anger in his voice he said, "I can handle this."

"Like Ichigo handled his inner hollow?"

"I have a little more self control than Kurosaki."

"Maybe so, but your true nature is much more bloodthirsty."

He couldn't help but stiffen at Uryu's remark. Somewhere deep inside he felt a genuine sense of hurt at the Quincy's words.

"I am human now." He said softly.

It was Uryu's turn to look surprised.

"Is that what you honestly believe or what you want to believe?" he asked.

"It is the truth."

Ishida stared at him for a moment and then said, "You know for a guy who prides himself on his honesty, you sure do a good job of lying to yourself."

"It is not a lie." He said in a whisper.

"Maybe on the outside you're human, but your soul that resides within that human body is still hollow."

"You do not know what you are talking about." He said, his voice rising with anger and desperation. "I am human. I have memories, feelings…"

"That is because you have been completely unmasked."

"It is because I am human!" he yelled finally losing his self control.

Uryu stared at him for a moment and then said, "Even if some part of your soul has regained its humanity, do you really believe that you are strong enough to control the part that is still hollow."

"If Kurosaki could manage it…"

"Ichigo couldn't handle it!" Uryu yelled in return. "Or have you forgotten what happened in Hueco Mundo?"

"I have not forgotten." He replied.

"I don't know. It seems to me that you have. Ichigo became a monster, no different than any other hollow. He lost that part of him that was human."

"Kurosaki lacks control…"

"Bullshit! You know that's not the reason. He did it to defend Orihime. He was willing to tap into the deepest part of his soul, the part where his humanity was no longer in control, to protect her. Are you going to tell me that you don't run a similar risk? It would seem to me that you are even more closely linked to Inoue."

He moved to within inches of Ishida.

"I would die before I would let myself fall into that torment again."

"Don't worry about that one. I'll kill you long before you have a chance."

He backed away and looked at Uryu. The hurt from before began to nag at him again.

"It would seem that I have misjudged our relationship."

"I witnessed my friend lose his humanity in Hueco Mundo. I watched as he not only destroyed your body, but intended to mutilate what remained. Ichigo has never killed like that. He would rather leave an opponent defeated. But at that moment he didn't care. He was at the mercy of his hollow. If he hadn't attacked me like he had, if you hadn't stopped him when you did, I would have had no choice but to kill him."

He grew silent for a moment and then said, "Facing that decision, to kill my friend, is something that I never want to go through again, but if you don't do something about this I may have to."

He was stunned at Uryu's confession. Inside a small flicker of hope ignited. Still he didn't want to involve anyone else. He was always in control of himself. He would handle this as well.

"I can control this." He whispered.

"No you can't; stop being so stubborn." Ishida began. "Ask Ichigo. Someone helped him, maybe they can help you."

He thought about Shinji's offer the other night.

"I can do this alone."

"You don't have to. This isn't like Hueco Mundo. Relying on others isn't a sign of weakness. No one is going to destroy you if you seek help."

He remained silent.

"Ulquiorra let your friends help you."

"Friends?"

Ishida smiled slightly.

"Don't think I'm getting sentimental." He said. "Just get help."

"I will consider what you have said."

"Consider it quickly. Now that you and Orihime are an 'item' the stakes are even higher."

"I thought talk of relationships was too shallow and immature for you." He responded.

"I find it rather juvenile, but it does change things."

That was the one truth Ulquiorra couldn't hide from. Orihime relied on him now. He couldn't help but desire to protect her. Yet the idea of seeking help from Ichigo and the Vizards was still as distasteful as when Shinji first proposed it. Somehow he would handle this. He had keep control so far. There was no reason to believe that he couldn't continue to maintain that control indefinitely.

* * *

**A.N.** Originally I was going to bring Rukia into the story at this point, but I found that her appearance served no real purpose anymore since previous changes kind of eliminated the direction she would have taken the story. In the end I prefered the talk with Uryu at the end. It flowed better and connected elements better.

With that said, I am once again at a place where I cannot promise the speed of my writing. My crappy week from two months ago has exploded into a situation where I am being slandered in a very public way and could lose my job. So now I have some time on my hands, but am so bothered that I can't think of much else. Writing does bring me much stress relief, but I am having to pull the story along at this point. As for the story - it is at the point where all the action starts and things come together. My hope is that the momentum will carry me along despite my personal troubles.

So enough whining and gloom - Thank you to all who reviewed. I apologize for not getting back to people, but I have been distracted. None the less special thanks to **Crimson Masquerade **and **Lady Kaliska** for their many reviews and insights as they read through the story. Also **Pardon the Insanity ** hope you're still reading and all is well. I miss your reviews.

Thanks again for reading - please let me know how you like it!


	22. Chapter 22

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._

* * *

********

Chapter 22

Ulquiorra found that the next few days passed without much incident. His memories came in small bursts here and there, and it had been days since he had felt the oppressiveness of his inner hollow. He wasn't one to give into hopefulness, but he couldn't help but think that maybe he wouldn't require help after all. Things were for the most part very manageable right now.

Uryu's concern that the Soul Society would get involved seemed unnecessary. If the Soul Society was observing him, they were keeping well hidden. Still he kept an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Yet Karakura Town was full of unusual happenings making the task considerably harder.

He found himself once again heading home without Orihime. She had stayed after school for the Home Handicrafts Club with Uryu. He had many chores that required his attention back at Urahara's shop, so he had left her at school with the promise to pick her up at her apartment in the morning.

The desire for a quiet walk home was destroyed when Asano joined him as he left the school grounds. The teen was getting easier to tolerate, but he valued his time alone and really wasn't up for Keigo's inane ramblings.

"So I guess Ichigo got over his odd stomach problem." The teen said.

He just continued in silence.

Undaunted by Ulquiorra's quiet manner Keigo continued, "You know personally I think he was upset about you and Orihime, not that that isn't the weirdest thing I've seen in a while, but really I don't see why it should bother him so much. I mean he and Rukia are practically married…"

"Rukia?" he asked suddenly interested.

"Yeah Rukia Kuchiki. She's this chick that used to go here back in the spring," he began and then lowering his voice continued, "Actually she's a Shinigami."

"Interesting," he said even though he was well aware of who Rukia Kuchiki was.

"Yeah, I mean I know they share a common interest in fighting hollows, but they were like always together. And even though Orihime was obviously drooling over him, no offense, he only had eyes for Rukia; not that she wasn't one fine looking babe. I mean she's no Orihime, but still she had her good qualities if you know what I mean."

He honestly had no idea what Asano was getting at, but that was not important. Looking for some answers he changed the topic slightly.

"So, how is it that you know Shinigami? As an ordinary teen with such slight spiritual awareness, I do not understand how you have become acquainted with several of them."

"Hey," Asano started, "That's not very nice to insult me like that."

Ulquiorra remained silent and waited for an answer.

"You know you really need to work on your people skills."

He still did not respond.

Finally Keigo sighed and said, "Fine be that way. It all started last spring when school started. Rukia showed up and then all kinds of weird shit started happening. The others came after our summer break. I didn't realize that they were Shinigami until I saw Ikkaku in action. See there was this fight with this one bad ass hollow, he wasn't like any others I had seen before." Scratching his head he continued, "What did he call himself? Ah man I can't remember." Suddenly he snapped his fingers and yelled, "Arrancar! That's it! They were fighting this Arrancar, and Ikkaku asked me if he killed it could he stay with me. I wasn't going to say no, so to make a long story short, he kicked the hollow's ass. Something about a Bankai, whatever that is, but he had one and demolished it. Almost died himself, but in the end I ended up with him and Yumichika staying at my place. Of course that brought a whole other set of problems with my sister and all…"

Asano continued on, but he ignored him. So Ikkaku had a Bankai. It would seem that he wasn't the only one who hid his full strength from his superiors. He wondered at Ikkaku's reasons, but understood that regardless of the answer the Shinigami was an even greater threat than before.

"… so she had this wild notion that they were dating, but I think he wanted nothing to do with her. I mean she's a pain in the ass, even if she is my sister."

"I suppose that is why you were with them when they came to Orihime's apartment last month?" he asked.

"Pretty much. It seems that they think my home is their home. Of course when they said they were going to Orihime's and Rangiku was going to be there, I couldn't refuse hanging out with them. It was just a lucky quirk that we bumped into Ichigo on the way over."

Somehow he doubted that that was a coincidence. Ichigo may not be the quickest to pick up others reiatsu, but he most likely understood what could have happened if the Shinigami discovered who he was. Coming to Orihime's was his way of making sure nothing happened.

"So what's the deal with you?" Asano asked. "You didn't seem too surprised to see that hollow that day, and you didn't blink an eye when Ichigo went all Shinigami. Not to mention that your girlfriend has super powers."

"Orihime does not possess super powers. It is simply the ability to…"

Suddenly the air around them changed. Sensing the distinct spiritual pressure of a hollow he looked quickly to the sky.

"Ah shit!" Keigo exclaimed. "You sense that too, don't you?"

"You should run." He said calmly to Asano.

"Hey running away is what I do best." The teen said as he prepared to take off.

The pressure became greater and before Keigo could move the hollow appeared before them.

"Well look what I have here," the creature taunted, "an appetizer and dinner all in one neat package."

"App…ap…etizer." Asano stammered as he backed up.

"Though you won't do much to satisfy me," the hollow said looking at Keigo, "You," he turned his attention to Ulquiorra, "will be well worth my time."

"Huh?" Keigo blurted out.

"If you value your life you will run!" Ulquiorra yelled again.

Asano let out a shriek and then began to run. The hollow reached out to grab the teen when Ulquiorra moved into action. With only his book bag as a weapon he aimed at the outstretched arm of the creature and swung with all his might. The hollow howled as the bag connected with its elbow. Pulling back it turned its attention to him.

Ulquiorra didn't hesitate. Scanning the area he noticed an abandoned building that was being prepped for demolition. The worksite was deserted due to the late hour, but he spied several tools and objects that he could use to defend himself if the need arose. He turned quickly and ran for the cover of the building.

He came across a pile of debris that had been cleared from the building. Looking down he saw a metal pipe. Picking it up he noticed the end had been snapped off from its source. It was jagged and sharp, and he figured it was as close as he was going to get to a Zanpakuto at this time.

Sensing the hollow as it came up behind him, he turned quickly, holding the pipe tightly at his side, and prepared to strike when the opportunity presented itself.

"You are quite the feisty one." The creature laughed. "Normally I don't play with my food, but in your case I'll make an exception."

It reached out to grab him. Striking swiftly he lunged forward and stabbed the hollow in its outstretched hand. The creature howled in pain, but retaliated instantly. With its other hand it swatted Ulquiorra hard, sending him flying. As soon as he hit the ground, the metal pipe fell from his grasp rolling several feet away.

"You have no chance against me human. I will crush you. When this is over even your own mother won't recognize what is left." the hollow bellowed.

He moved to get to his feet, but the hollow was fast. As he soon as he stood, it struck again. Its sharp claws raked across his chest, cutting through his heavy coat, as it tossed him aside again.

It approached him and moved to attack when Ulquiorra heard Asano rambling nonsense behind him.

"He winds up and releases. The pitch is good, but Keigo is better. He swings…"

The teen came charging past him, the jagged pipe in hand, and swung at the hollow hitting it hard across its leg causing it to stumble backwards.

"It's a homerun!" Keigo exclaimed.

"What the hell are you doing." He said harshly as he rose to his feet.

"Saving your ass." He replied. "Admittedly it goes against everything I am, but I owe you one."

"You are an idiot." Ulquiorra said grabbing the pipe from the teen. "That thing will kill you."

"You weren't doing too well either." Asano whined in return.

At that moment the hollow stood behind him and grabbed Keigo tightly around the waist. The teen cried out in pain and fear.

"Damn it!" he hissed. He grasped the pipe firmly and prepared to strike again. He could feel his spiritual energy begin to surge as his adrenalin increased. "Drop him."

The hollow looked at him and then at Asano.

"As you wish," It said and then threw Keigo across the yard, slamming him into a wooden fence that surrounded the building. It turned back to him and said, "Now it's your turn."

He found that he was tired of this game. A low level hollow like this would have posed no problem to him a few months ago, and though he no longer possessed the power he had in Hueco Mundo, he refused to die at the hands of this creature.

The hollow reached to grab him and he swung at its arm easily batting it away. Using his momentum he continued to attack the creature striking quickly at its arms and torso. His time spent training with Yoruichi had improved not only his endurance, but his speed. Though he did not possess his former strength, he knew that he could hold his own for awhile. Eventually someone would come to help; if not Ichigo, then whichever Shinigami was assigned to this area.

The hollow pulled back and stood erect. Looking at him it said, "All of your efforts are in vain human. You cannot expect to kill me like that." With lightning quick speed it reached out and grabbed his wrist. Applying pressure it taunted him some more. "Humans are so fragile and weak. All it takes is just a little pressure," its grip tightened crushing the bones in its grasp. "And they break."

"Damn it," he growled as the pain coursed through his enitire arm. Nasuea overwhelmed him and he fought the urge to be sick.

_You are going to die Daisuke. Have you become so pathetic that you would let such an insignificant insect destroy you?_

Inside him he could sense the dark reiatsu of his hollow begin to take hold. The creature seemed to sense it as well. It peered closely at him and then laughed.

"Well, well it would seem that I've gotten an extra treat in you. Though hiding such dark spiritual power in such a useless container seems rather foolish."

Anger took root and he forgot his pain for a moment. twisting in the hollow's grasp he brought up his foot and kicked it in its face as hard as he could. A slight crack began to form in the creature's mask. It howled in pain and reaching for its face, dropped him onto the ground. He started to stand, but the hollow quickly recovered. Reaching out it grabbed him by his shoulders, its sharp claws digging into his flesh. It once again lifted him into the air and brought him up level to its face.

"You are sorely limited by that human body. Though you may put up a good fight, you will eventually die at my hands."

"I wouldn't act so confident if I were you." he panted. The loss of blood was making it harder for him to focus.

This caused the hollow to laugh again.

"No one is coming to save you, unless you can somehow manifest that energy within you, you are going to die. And then it will all be mine."

"I don't know what you are talking about." he lied.

"Oh I think you do. But then why hide in this human form?" Bringing its face to within inches of his and it continued, "Unless you have been trapped somehow."

He began to struggle against the hollow's hold. It began to laugh at his efforts and said, "I did not know that such beings existed that could encase such powerful reiatsu like this. A soul with that kind of power would be worth seeking out. How about you tell me where I can find this creature and I'll help release you from your prison?"

"Fuck you!" he spat out.

The hollow laughed at his reply. "So stubborn. Still it makes no difference. I'll find this being eventually."

Ulquiorra could feel his fragile hold on his consciousness fading. He was loosing too much blood, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before he would succumb to his injuries.

_You are finished Daisuke._

"Go away!" he yelled.

The hollow hesitated for a moment and stared at him silently. The darkness within him increased. He found it harder to fight than before.

_I have lived for far too long to die at the hands of such trash._

No, he couldn't give in. If he gave himself over to the darkness within him he may never come back.

_You will die otherwise and then who will be left to protect the woman?_

He found it increasing harder to keep his eyes open. The pain began to ease as his body became numb.

_You are pathetic Daisuke. Pathetic and weak._

He opened his eyes once more. Fighting the hollow before him as well as the one inside of him proved too much. Frantically he searched for help. Where was Kurosaki?

_Enough!_

The dark reiatsu surged through his being and he lost his ability to fight it.

* * *

The Shinigami prepared to rush forward into the fight when a hand shot out and pulled him back.

"You know our orders."

"I don't remember our orders saying to watch him die."

"Stop reacting and pay attention."

"What?"

"Can't you feel that?"

The other Shinigami stared for a moment and then said, "Shit, I honestly didn't want it to be true."

"But it is, and if we interfere we may compromise this mission."

"I'm not going to watch him die."

"I never said we would."

* * *

The hollow faltered slightly as the reiatsu rose. The pressure became dense, and its hold on the human was slipping. The teen appeared dead, but the energy still remained. Suddenly it lifted its head and stared into the creature's eyes. The green color of the human's irises had changed to a burning yellow, his sclera had become black.

"I knew you were lying." The hollow said.

_"Release this body."_ The teen spoke. The spiritual pressure was so intense that the hollow lessened its grip.

_"Release this body now!"_

The strength of the reiatsu overwhelmed the creature and it dropped the human hard onto the ground. The body remained motionless for a moment, and then slowly began to rise; bringing with it the pipe that had been discarded earlier.

Looking directly at the hollow it said, _"You wanted to fight me? Now's your chance."_

The hollow stepped back slightly and then said, "You're still trapped in that body. Your reiatsu alone will not defeat me."

The human only stared silently in return. Suddenly it lunged at the creature. Its speed had increased as had its strength.

"Impossible." The hollow cried out as it fended off the attack.

The human continued to attack, landing blow after blow, until the hollow struck back and sent the human's body flying. It landed with enough force to once again dislodge its weapon. The hollow walked over and kicked the pipe further from the human's grasp.

"You may be strong, but in the end you are limited by the restraints of that body, and that body is just about dead."

The human tried to push itself back up. The strong reiatsu began to diminish and in a harsh whisper it said, "I will not relinquish my soul to you."

It looked up and the hollow saw that the eyes were once again normal. Seizing the opportunity it prepared to strike. With its jaws open wide the creature lunged for the human, only to be stopped by a completely different force.

* * *

Orihime ran faster than she had even run before in her life. Uryu had sensed the hollow earlier, and had decided to investigate. She had followed him, fearful that somehow Ulquiorra could be involved. As she ran she tried to push her anxiety aside, but that effort was quickly defeated when she felt the familiar dark reiatsu surge once again.

"We have to hurry." Uryu exclaimed as he picked up speed. "Orihime I am going to go ahead."

With that he was gone. She hated to be left alone, but she was grateful that he would be there soon to help.

Suddenly the dark reiatsu faded and with it came the realization that Ulquiorra's familiar spirit energy was also decreasing rapidly.

She pushed harder and rounded the corner spying a construction site. She heard the howls of the hollow and turned in that direction. The sight that greeted her took her breathe away. Sado lay on the ground; his arm, in its defensive state, was lodged within the hollow's mouth. He rose slowly to his feet and thrust back with the arm sending the hollow flying. The creature had barely recovered when Uryu shot it with an arrow. The creature cried out as the shot severed its arm.

"Damn it!" he hissed. "I never miss."

He drew back again to strike, but Orihime was no longer paying attention. Her eyes were drawn to the figure lying prone at Sado's feet. Tears instantly formed in her eyes, momentarily blurring her vision.

"Ulquiorra!" she screamed as she ran over to him. All thoughts left her mind except one, "Soten Kesshun, I reject."

She knelt down beside him; her focus was so intent that she never felt the hollow's defeat. Her mind rifled through her past memories as she raced to undo the damage.

_Sora lying dead in the hospital. _

"_Big Brother, don't leave me. Please don't leave me alone."_

_Grimmjow releasing her only to find Ichigo apparently dead at her feet. _

_"Who would do such a thing?"_

_Standing atop the dome to Las Noches. This time there was nothing she could do. Ichigo was beyond her abilities. She was terrified and so alone._

_"Kurosaki-kun. I don't know what to do. Kurosaki-kun help me!"_

Blood was everywhere. So much blood. His body was torn and bruised, so much so that for a moment she doubted herself. For a split second she was back in Las Noches again, scared and desperate. No, she was not that girl anymore. She knew what to do. She refused to let him die. A calm settled over her and she pushed forward, blocking out everything else, including the argument going on behind her.

"What took you so long?" Uryu demanded.

"My badge didn't go off." Ichigo replied. "I don't understand I've never had this problem before."

"Maybe if you tried to focus your attention just a little bit on those around you, you wouldn't need that stupid thing."

"Hey I got here in time didn't I? And besides you weren't exactly doing too great either."

"I never miss. It was a fluke."

"Yeah a fluke. The great Quincy missed. Maybe you're just out of practice."

"Hey you two should quiet down." Chad interrupted. "You're just going to make things worse."

"Huh?" Ichigo asked.

"Damn it." Uryu hissed.

"Is he dead?"

That broke through her concentration.

"He's not dead, and he's not going to die." She whispered.

Suddenly she noticed the faint movement in Ulquiorra's fingers. Then his chest rose slightly as he took in a breath and exhaled. His eyes opened slightly and he gazed at her in slight confusion.

"Orihime?" he rasped.

"It's okay. I'm here. Everything's going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay."

She felt Uryu's hand gently touch her shoulder.

"You're right Orihime. You can do this."

Ulquiorra took in the teens around her and said, "Keigo."

"Keigo?" Ichigo asked.

"Where is Keigo?" he continued.

"Was he with you?" Uryu asked.

"Idiot, I told him to run." Ulquiorra said and then closed his eyes exhausted by the effort to speak.

Ichigo and Chad wasted no time looking for their friend.

"He's over here." Sado yelled.

"Shit!" Ichigo exclaimed.

She didn't hesitate.

"Ayame."

The shield extended quickly to encompass both boys. Her concentration increased. Once again Ichigo and Uryu began to talk, this time in a much quieter tone.

"I don't get it." Ichigo said. "I should have been alerted to this."

"Isn't there someone assigned to this town anymore?" Uryu asked.

"Yeah, I guess." Ichigo answered. "Someone should have been here."

"This is bad." Uryu said a little softer than before.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"You didn't feel that reiatsu earlier?"

"Well yes; in fact that was what drew me here."

"And still no one else sensed it?" Uryu said more to himself than Ichigo.

"Actually I expected the hollow to be a little harder to defeat considering the strength of its reiatsu." Ichigo stated.

"That wasn't the hollow." Uryu whispered.

"Then who was it?" Ichigo shot back.

Uryu remained silent, his gaze on Ulquiorra.

"Damn it." Ichigo said. "You can't be serious."

"This is not good." Uryu whispered. "Not at all."

* * *

"I've seen enough." The Shinigami stated. "We should return to the Soul Society at once."

"This assignment sucks." The other replied angrily. "We should be protecting them and yet we had to sit back and watch silently as they were almost killed."

"You know it was important to the mission. We had to be sure."

"Well now we are," the other growled. "And everything just sucks that much more."

"He's a hollow. We knew there was a possibility the last time we came here."

"Yes, but that reality just makes this all the more confusing."

"How is that?"

"He was protecting Keigo, as well as someone else."

"Orihime?"

"Most likely."

"But that doesn't make sense. Hollows don't protect the living."

"It would seem that this one does."

"But why?"

"That unfortunately is not for us to figure out." The Shinigami spat out distastefully.

"An assignment is an assignment after all." His partner replied.

"Damn it! I liked it better when good was good and bad was bad."

"It's never quite been that easy has it?" Yumichika asked solemnly.

"No I guess it hasn't. But this," Ikkaku started, "is far worse than we could have ever imagined."

* * *

**A.N.** This chapter has been in my documents for a week now. I have tweaked it about as much as I think I can, but I'm still anxious to submit it. I hope was up to par with previous chapters.

Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter - it was the most for any chapter yet! I appreciate all the feed back.


	23. Chapter 23

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

******

Chapter 23

_He followed after his mother's children as they ran through the gardens that surrounded his grandmother's home. Their laughter was carried along on the soft breeze that blew through the trees, making a rather oppressive summer day more tolerable. To someone unfamiliar with the household the scene would have resembled nothing more than three siblings enjoying an afternoon together, but it was anything but that simple._

_Four months earlier the old woman had decided that it would be in the boy's best interest to have Daisuke spend time with him. His mother's son, Kentarou, was a clumsy, awkward child. His lack of coordination was always getting him into minor scrapes, which had recently been made worse by his insistence on putting himself into situations that were increasingly more dangerous. The old woman felt that between Daisuke's level head and quick reflexes he would be able to keep the child from serious harm._

_He found the whole situation to be completely ludicrous. Anyone who knew Daisuke's true relationship to the child would never have placed him the position of protector. Though he saw no benefit from harming the child, a less scrupulous person would see it as a perfect opportunity to eliminate the boy from the picture. He knew that Kentarou's existence had no bearing on his status in the household. The old woman had made it perfectly clear that he would never inherit the family lands, and he knew that nothing he did would change that._

_The truth of the matter was that it was in his best interests to keep the child alive. Kentarou, like his father was a very simple person. He had no interest in becoming educated and was very easily influenced. If Daisuke managed the situation carefully he could in fact control the household by controlling Kentarou. Spending time with him was in fact very beneficial to his plans. Gaining his trust was necessary to his own future._

_The part of him that knew the old woman's twisted and controlling nature inside and out, believed that she understood this as well, so her insistence in having him spend so much time with the boy gave him serious misgivings about the whole thing. He couldn't help believe that there was more to this than ensuring the child's safety. In fact deep in his heart he questioned whether or not her true intention was that he would harm the boy. He knew that she had nothing but contempt for Kentarou. The child, in her opinion, was a lazy idiot who would bring ruin to her family if he did not change his ways._

_The girl, Nagisa, though only a toddler, showed more promise than her brother, and his grandmother pointed this out to him (Daisuke) any chance she could. If Kentarou were to suddenly have a fatal accident, the girl would simply take his place. Still he couldn't believe, as evil as his grandmother was, that she would contemplate murder to get what she desired. More likely it was just one more way to punish his mother for her marriage to his father._

_It was clear to him that Asako did not agree with the arrangement. Her relationship with her eldest son had become very strained once she married Wakahisa. In fact they rarely talked, and as far as her husband was concerned, they were merely distant relatives. The old woman had made it clear that he was the orphaned child of a less respectable family member. It was only through the kindness of her heart that he had not been abandoned to the streets. Any servant that knew differently never spoke out against it. His grandmother was not a person that one would cross, and so in less than a year since his father's death he had gone from love and security to being an outsider._

_He accepted his fate and carried on much as before, but with the birth of Kentarou, he found resentment in his heart for the boy that, for a time, became a consuming hatred. Though outwardly he showed nothing but respect for the child, inside he despised him. It took him years to push that emotion aside. Anger and hatred were even more destructive than love. Giving into those feelings only served to weaken his control. Once he had freed himself of such a burden he was able to objectively view the household again and see Kentarou for what he really was, a way for him to take control once the old woman was gone. _

_So he had learned to tolerate the child and over time had earned his trust. It made the job of babysitting him, as annoying as it was, seem less bothersome. Asako had protested at first, but realizing her mother was not going to change her mind, had backed down. She kept her distance, but he knew she was always close by watching him and making sure that her children were safe._

_Though it was not the old woman's intention, Nagisa had begun to follow him and Kentarou around almost from the first day. For some reason she was drawn to him and insisted on spending time with him as well. Surprisingly he found that this development did not bother him in the least. He found the child oddly refreshing. She had a quick wit and a very active imagination that made her brother's inanity more tolerable._

_He watched as Nagisa made her way to the foot of the bridge that spanned the pond at the center of the garden. She waited patiently for him to catch up to her, but her brother barreled past her laughing and teasing her as he went. It was obvious that Kentarou resented the girl and took every opportunity to belittle her._

_"Wait for Onii-san Nagisa. Babies like you can't be out here alone." He taunted as he passed._

_She stood stoically in her place. It was if she understood what he was doing and why. No matter what Kentarou did or said to her she never seemed to let it affect her. _

_"Can I feed the fish now?" she asked with excitement as he approached._

_He held up the bag with the scraps of bread and nodded. She clapped her hands in response, and then taking his free hand in hers, began to walk to the center of the bridge. Kentarou was already there. In his hands were pebbles that he had collected and was now throwing into the water effectively scaring all the fish away._

_"Kentarou-chan stop. The fish won't be able to eat their food." Nagisa pleaded._

_He only laughed at her and said, "They don't want stupid bread crumbs anyways."_

_She bowed her head at his remark and Daisuke could tell that she had had enough teasing for one day. Releasing her hand he walked over and grabbed Kentarou's hand that held the pebbles. The child reacted by closing his fist tightly around the rocks._

_"That is enough Kentarou-chan." He said forcefully. "You will drop the rocks now."_

_"No!" he yelled back._

_Daisuke knew that his courage was only a fleeting thing, and continued to hold the child's gaze in a determined stare. Kentarou began to pout, but slowly opened his hand, dropping all the pebbles onto the wooden planks of the bridge._

_"You never let me have any fun." He complained as Daisuke released his wrist._

_"Not when that fun comes at your sister's expense." He replied._

_"You just like her more!" _

_Daisuke ignored the boy and turned back to Nagisa. He opened the sack that contained the crumbs for the fish. _

_"Give them a few moments and they will return." He said._

_"I hope we see a turtle." She said excitedly as she grabbed a fistful of food._

_"There aren't any turtles." Kentarou said._

_She ignored him and walked over to the railing. Reaching out her hand she dropped the food into the water below. Patiently she waited until finally a few fish begin to nibble on the bread crumbs. She squealed in delight and turned back to him to get some more food._

_She began to reach into the sack when she paused, her eyes focused on something behind him. Pulling her hand back she pointed past his shoulder and said, "Kentarou-chan."_

_He turned around and saw the boy climbing up the railing and trying to balance himself on top._

_"Kentarou-chan get down!" he said firmly._

_"I can do whatever I want." He said. "You can't stop me."_

_He stood and walked over to the child._

_"You are not to be up there. You know better."_

_It was at that moment that Kentarou took a slight step and began to lose his balance. Quickly Daisuke shot out his hand to grab the child and pull him to safety, but Kentarou had already begun to fall backwards. In a panic the child grabbed his arm as he scarcely grasped the fabric of Kentarou's clothing. He screamed out in pain as the force of the child's fall pulled his shoulder, dislocating it and making it almost impossible to hold on. _

_As Kentarou flailed about trying to grip his arm tighter he cried, "Don't drop me Onii-san. Please don't drop me."_

_"Damn it Kentarou stop moving," he bit out through the pain._

_"I don't want to fall."_

_"I can't hold you." He repeated, "If you don't stop moving."_

_The child wasn't listening anymore. In a panic he began to try to climb his way back up Daisuke's arm, but couldn't quite hold on. His hand began to slip and Daisuke watched in horror as the child fell into the water several feet below._

_Though the pond in itself was shallow, the child slammed against a flat rock that was close to the surface. Daisuke heard the sickening crack as Kentarou's head struck the rock. Almost instantaneously red blood mixed with the water, fanning out around his head like some perverted halo. His eyes remained opened, but Daisuke knew in his gut that Kentarou was dead._

_He had barely recovered enough to react when he heard a scream tear through the grounds. He looked up to see his mother running towards the water. His grandmother stood immobile, her eyes fixed on him. _

_Standing up he held his arm to his side. The pain radiating from the injury made it hard to breathe and he feared that he may vomit or pass out._

_The men who had been working in the gardens began to run towards the water where his mother now knelt, holding the limp body of Kentarou in her arms. She cried softly as she rocked back and forth. _

_His grandmother made her way to the water's edge and stopped. Looking up at him she yelled, "You did this."_

_He shook his head and said, "It was an accident."_

_"I saw it all." She said venomously, "You pushed the child off that railing."_

_His eyes opened wide at the old woman's accusations. Looking down at his mother he said, "That's not true. I tried to stop him, but he fell."_

_She stared at him and he could see hatred began to seep into her eyes._

_"You killed him." She whispered. And then louder she screamed, "What kind of a monster would kill his own brother!"_

_Around them all went silent at her revelation. Behind him he could hear Nagisa crying softly._

_"I didn't push him," he whispered. "I didn't do it."_

_"You are dead to me." She yelled at him. "I will never forgive you for this. "Never!"_

_He could only stare at her, no longer able to speak. His grandmother began to give commands to the men gathered about her._

_"Get the boy. Don't let him escape. He will pay for this with his own life!"_

_He looked at her in shock. His feet frozen to the spot. The men began to run in his direction, and suddenly his instincts took over. Backing away he turned and began to run._

* * *

Ulquiorra bolted upright from his unconscious slumber. His breathing came rapidly and his body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Orihime couldn't help but notice the slight tremble in his hands as he brought them up to cover his face.

"Ulquiorra?" she asked gently.

He lowered his hands and turned to face her. He seemed disoriented, and stared at her for a moment before recognition set in.

"Orihime." He rasped.

"Are you still hurt?" she asked him.

He instinctively reached for his right arm and began to massage it gently.

"My arm," he whispered more to himself than her, "I must have dislocated the shoulder."

"I thought everything was healed when I rejected your injuries, but if your arm still hurts…"

"No," he began. "I… I did not hurt it recently."

She was confused by his words and replied, "I don't understand."

He looked down for a moment and said, "I remembered… I saw my…"

He never finished the sentence. She waited for him to continue, but when he remained silent she asked gently, "What happened Ulquiorra? What did you remember?"

Slowly he looked up at her and in his eyes she saw pain. Whatever he had witnessed must have been horrible.

"I did not do it. It was an… an accident. I tried to stop him, but he fell anyways."

"Who?" she asked. "Who fell?"

"Kentarou-chan." He replied. "My younger brother."

She couldn't help but gasp at his revelation. She had never thought to ask if he had had any siblings. It seemed odd to think that he was someone's big brother.

Carefully and with a detached distance from the event he relayed back to her what he had seen. Her heart went out to him as he told her how his brother had fallen to his death, and how his grandmother had blamed him for it. Yet that was nothing compared to his own mother's condemnation.

She reached out took his hand gently in her own. "I am so sorry Ulquiorra."

He gazed at her hand in his and said softly, "I hated him. For a while after his birth I couldn't stand the sight of him. But I eventually got over it." Looking back up at her he continued, "I would never have killed him. There was no benefit to me if he were dead."

"What about love?" she asked.

"Love?"

"Yes, he was your brother. Didn't you love him?"

He thought it over for a moment and then said, "Maybe if he had been my true brother, if we had grown up as siblings rather than strangers, I would have felt love for him."

"But it's obvious that you cared. You wouldn't be so bothered if you didn't."

"You see things in a very idealistic way."

"I don't think you have to be an idealist to see that this event was very traumatic for you."

"All of this has been rather difficult." He said. "I told you when my memories first began to return that this would not end well. I have no doubt that the events of that day precipitated my own death." Bringing his knees to his chest he released her hand and wrapped his arms around his legs. Staring straight ahead he said in a whisper, "I do not wish to experience it again."

In all the time that she had known him she had never seen him express his feelings so honestly. Maybe it was the shock of remembering his brother's death, or just another subtle change in his personality, but she felt closer to him than ever before.

Thinking back over the events of the day she said softly, "I thought I was going to lose you today."

"I did not expect to survive that attack." He replied.

A chill crept into her being as she said, "I don't think I could handle losing anyone else that I care about so deeply." She paused for a moment. Her body began to shake slightly as she thought about how close he had actually come to dying. "I was so scared."

He turned to her and said, "You are trembling."

"I can't help it." She replied.

Turning completely to face her he opened his arms and said, "Come here woman."

She moved into his arms and he closed them tight around her.

"You no longer need to be afraid." He whispered.

At that moment she felt the tears she had been holding back since they had brought him back to Urahara's begin to fall. Faced with the prospect of losing him had made her realize that her feelings went far deeper than she had originally believed. Somehow she had fallen in love with him, and the thought of losing him scared the hell out of her.

"You are crying."

"I know, but I can't help it."

"You are safe Orihime. The hollow is gone. There is no reason to cry."

"I know but…"

"You cannot help it." He finished for her.

She smiled against his chest.

"Orihime" he said.

She tilted her head up to look at him.

"No more tears."

With that he leaned in and kissed her gently on either side of her face where her tears had fallen. He then moved his lips to join hers. He kissed her lightly, his tongue darting out to taste her more fully, seeking further entrance. She opened her mouth slightly and let him in.

Her acceptance seemed to ignite something within him and he responded to her with a ferocity that took her breath away. His hands began to travel down her sides until he found the buttons of her school sweater. With a deft precision he began to release them one by one until her sweater fell to the floor beside her.

His hands quickly moved to her shirt. This time he broke from the kiss. His eyes taking in every detail as her blouse fell open revealing the soft, cotton camisole beneath. She heard his sharp intake of breath as his gaze lingered over her body, and she couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Without thinking she brought her hands up to cover herself.

"Does this make you uncomfortable?" he asked.

"Well, sort of, I mean yes and no…"

"You should not be ashamed of your body." He stated.

She couldn't help but blush.

"I'm not ashamed. It's just that when you look at me like that I just feel shy. I'm not as … well as experienced as other girls…"

He brought his mouth close to her ear and whispered, "I do not desire any other girl as much as I desire you."

The warmth of his breath in her ear combined with his bold declaration made her almost lightheaded, and as his lips began a trail down her neck she couldn't help but sigh with contentment. Her embarrassment was quickly forgotten as she moved her hands to embrace him, drawing him closer to her. Lazily she drew circles with her finger tips across the smooth flesh of his back amazed as goose bumps broke out over his hot skin. Deep in his throat he made a low growl. His hands began to skim over the light fabric of her camisole, and then suddenly the skin underneath.

Never in her life would she have imagined she could feel like this. Her previous fantasies about Ichigo had never advanced beyond handholding and sweet kisses. This was something else entirely, and she could not imagine such a thing with the former object of her affections. Ulquiorra was different; an unexpected surprise of heat hidden under a cool mask of indifference, and that revelation only served to stoke the fire burning inside of her all the more.

* * *

Orihime let out a soft moan as his hands made contact with her flesh. The sound sent a jolt of excitement through him and encouraged him to take more bolder actions. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he braced his other arm on the futon beneath him and let himself fall onto his back, bringing her gently with him.

The feel of her body astride his own sent his senses spiraling out of control. It had been a long time since he had allowed himself to lose control over his emotions, but in this moment with Orihime, he could think of nothing else beside the sensation of her touch and the feel of her skin beneath his fingers. For the past month he had faced an ever increasing onslaught of mental images that left him frustrated and tense. He had prided himself on being above the base instincts of the human males he encountered each day, but in reality he had become just as depraved as every other teenage boy at school. His libido seemed more in control than his rational mind and it had begun to drive him mad.

Now though that those fantasies were being realized, he discovered that his simple musings did not even come close to the reality of the present moment. His actions were driven by the passion building up inside him. Reaching up he brought his mouth back to hers, and deepening the kiss, brought his hands up under the fabric of her skirt, grasping the lace that edged her panties, and began to pull downward. Orihime instantly stiffened, and broke from the kiss.

"Ulquiorra?" she whispered.

He looked into her eyes that moments before had been full of passion, now reflected only anxiety.

"I don't think I'm ready for this." She began as a lone tear began to fall from her eye. "I mean I want it, I really do, but I just… I'm scared."

He didn't know what to say or how to respond. Though he would never admit it, he was no more experienced than her in these matters. But where she was timid, he was brash. His personality gave no room for anything else. Still her innocence stirred something within him. It made him feel protective, not just of her but of their relationship. He wanted nothing to destroy what they now shared.

Removing his hands from beneath her skirt he reached up and brushed away the tear that marred her cheek. He struggled to control his breathing and push everything that was going on inside of him from his mind. He should have expected this. He should have known better than to push her so quickly, but he wanted her so badly that rational thought seemed to escape him.

"It is my fault," he began once he had some semblance of control. "I should have realized that you were not ready for this."

"I do want it…" she whispered.

"As do I," he replied. "But I am willing to wait."

Her eyes grew big at his statement and she began to blush furiously.

She amazed him. Her position, as overtly sexual as it was, did not embarrass her in the least, but a few words from him and she was suddenly mortified. He supposed it was just one of the many things about her that drew him to her. The way she was oblivious to the rather important things, and instead honed in on the more mundane and easily overlooked.

Looking at her, sitting atop of him with her face flushed red and her breathing still heavy from their earlier actions, he realized that he was falling for her. The notion in itself was rather laughable. He, the Fourth Espada in Sosuke Aizen's army, who until a few months ago had no greater desire than to see the Soul Society brought to its knees, and had spent his life dismissing the value of human emotions, was falling in love with a human girl.

Admitting his feelings though brought with it the realization that if he did not control the hollow within him, he could lose her forever. Denying what was really happening was only putting her and everyone else that had befriended him in harms way. Yet what if he told her and she rejected him? If she did not feel for him the same way he felt about her, she may push him away. Still today only proved that he couldn't ignore what was happening any longer. Pushing his anxieties aside he sat up and moved Orihime from his lap to a position beside him.

"Are you angry?" she asked.

He turned to her and said, "There is no reason to be angry."

"Oh." She simply replied.

They sat in silence for a moment and then he asked, "Orihime, when we were back in Las Noches, what exactly were you thinking when you brought me back?"

"Huh?" she asked obviously not expecting the question.

Looking at her intently he continued, "Did you reject my entire existence as a hollow or just my physical manifestation as a hollow?"

"I'm not quite sure what you mean, but I know that I wanted to give you a chance to experience life as a human. I wanted you to truly understand the human heart."

"I see." He replied.

"Well I don't see." She said perplexed. "What exactly are you getting at?"

He was quiet for a moment as he thought about it. He had wanted to shelter her from this aspect of who he was, but he realized that that would have been foolish. She was a bright woman, and she had already noticed the changes in his reiatsu. Lying to her would have been nothing more than an insult.

"My humanity," he began. "I do not believe that you rejected my hollow self, and though you made me human, there is still a part of me that is not."

"The dark reiatsu." She whispered.

"Yes."

"I felt it, today, when I was running to find you. It was overpowering."

He was not surprised at her words.

"I could not control it. When I lost consciousness it took over my being."

"Oh." She said again.

"Orihime, I do not believe I can keep it locked away forever. At some point I could lose myself to that darkness for good."

"No," she said emphatically. "There must be something you can do about it."

He looked away and then said softly, "There may be a way, a process, like the one that Ichigo went through to control his hollow. I don't know how it would work, or even if it would be successful, but I have to try."

"Then let's do it." she said with enthusiasm.

"This is something that I must do alone." he replied.

Shaking her head she said, "Oh no you don't. I'm coming with you. Even if I can't do anything to help you I want to be there for you."

"I suppose nothing I say will change your mind."

"Nope."

"You always were a stubborn woman."

"I have to be to put up with you." she smiled and then unable to stop herself, let out a big yawn. "Oh goodness. I didn't realize I was so tired."

He looked to the clock in his room. It was after midnight. Rising to his feet he went to his closet and pulled out some pajama pants. Throwing them at her he said, "It is too late for you to go home. You can stay here and in the morning we will find Hirako Shinji and settle this thing once and for all."

She was too tired to protest. He left her for a moment to get something to eat, and when he returned she was already asleep. Laying down on the futon beside her he wrapped his arms about her and pulled her close. Tomorrow his life would change, whether for the better remained to be seen.

He understood the true power that he possessed in Hueco Mundo. Forcing it into submission was going to be no easy feat. There was a real possibility that he could fail. Yet he had to try. If not for himself, then for the woman lying in his arms.

* * *

**A.N. **Ok so I scrapped this chapter twice - each time with almost 3000 words into it. It just wasn't working. So I changed some things around and gave it another try! Hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think.

Once again thanks to all who reviewed. The feedback has really helped!


	24. Chapter 24

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

******

Chapter 24

Ulquiorra had been awake and dressed for some time when the knock came on the door to his room. Silently he made his way over, knowing full well who would be on the other side.

"Kurosaki." He said as he pushed the screen open.

"I know I'm early, but I wanted to get here before you left for school, but I can see from how your dressed you're not going."

"I have other plans."

"Other plans? What could you have possibly planned…" he stopped in midstream as he caught sight of Orihime still sleeping on the futon. His face turned red and his eye began to twitch. Pointing at her he said, "What the hell? That's Inoue, in your bed, in your room, with you here."

He gave no reply.

"What is she doing in your bed?" he asked.

"Sleeping."

"I can see that! But she shouldn't be here. It's not proper. Girls don't sleep in guys rooms."

"Urahara-san tells me that Rukia Kuchiki sleeps in your closet when she is here on missions."

"That's different. And it's not like I can do anything about it. She's kind of sneaky that way. Besides she and I are not," he stopped to take a breath. His face began to turn a slight shade of green but he continued, "involved."

"I see." He replied.

"You see? You see! No you don't see. Orihime's reputation could be destroyed."

"I still do not understand the rules of this world." He replied. "Orihime was exhausted after all that occurred yesterday. I was not about to send her home in that condition. It was safer for her to remain."

"Safer with you?"

"I am used to seeing to her needs and making sure that she comes to no harm."

"Ok, well this is not Hueco Mundo. In this world a teenage girl does not sleep in her boyfriend's bed overnight!"

"I have heard differently at school…"

"Respectable girls like Orihime don't do that!" Ichigo almost shouted.

He thought for a moment about what Ichigo said. He was still trying to understand all the social rules that humans lived by. In Hueco Mundo there had been no rules about morality. Instinct and survival guided his actions. But here in the World of the Living there were all sorts of rules for social conduct, yet not all people abided by those rules, which made choosing which to follow and which to ignore all the more confusing.

"Your world makes little sense at times, but I can see how gossip could cause Orihime harm. I will not speak of this outside of this room."

"Yeah well don't let it happen again." Ichigo said. "For your own protection as well as hers. If Tatsuki were to ever get wind of this she would kill you."

Changing the subject he asked, "I suppose there is a reason you came here?"

Ichigo's expression became dark and he said, "We need to talk privately."

"Let me wake Orihime. I will meet you in the main room."

Ichigo nodded and left. Ulquiorra walked over to where Orihime still slept. Kneeling down he gently rubbed her shoulder.

"It's morning. We should get going soon."

She opened her eyes slowly and catching sight of him smiled lazily.

"You came by my apartment?"

"You never left Urahara's." he replied.

"What!" she yelped as she sat up quickly. A blush began to stain her cheeks and neck. "Oh my gosh, this is not good. What if someone finds out?"

"No one is going to say anything."

She smiled nervously as he handed her her clothes.

"Why don't you go wash up and meet me for breakfast. I have someone waiting for me."

"Okay." She replied weakly.

He gave her hand a quick squeeze and then stood. He headed for the door, but turned around before exiting.

"There is much I still have to learn about this world. In the future I will try to adhere to the rules of society better so as not to cause you further embarrassment."

This time her smile was genuine. Getting up she came over to where he stood and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"You can be so sweet." She said and then gently pushed passed him and headed for the bathroom.

Sweet? He had been considered merciless, cruel, and unfeeling, but sweet? He brought his hand to his forehead and shook his head in disbelief. This was unacceptable. The last thing he needed was for anyone to hear her say such things. After all he had his own reputation to defend.

* * *

He found Ichigo pacing around the main living room to the house. The teen was agitated and he figured it had something to do with the previous day's events.

"So what do you wish to speak with me about?" he asked.

Ichigo jumped at the sound of his voice and stopped his pacing. Walking over to him he said, "It's about yesterday."

Ulquiorra remained silent and waited for him to continue. Ichigo stared back in return obviously looking for a response.

Growing impatient the teen said, "The hollow attack?"

"Yes."

"Something about it has been bothering me."

"The fact that you were not there to fight it off sooner?" he replied.

"Huh? Well not exactly, I mean I'm sorry, but my badge didn't go off for some reason..."

"You still rely on such a piece of equipment to sense hollows?"

"Hey I'm not good at that stuff, and it took a little longer to realize what was happening."

"Maybe you should have someone look at it. It could just need batteries."

"It's not some kid's toy." Ichigo said growing more irritated. "It doesn't run on batteries." He looked closer at Ulquiorra and then continued, "But you know that. You're just trying to piss me off."

"It is not too difficult to do."

"Yeah well cut it out. I have something serious to discuss. I don't know why the badge didn't work then because it has been fine ever since. Still I didn't come here to discuss it. I came here because, well because the reiatsu that tipped me off didn't belong to that hollow."

He knew this was coming, and if Ichigo was growing aware of it, chances were that the Soul Society was as well.

Kurosaki stared at him and then asked, "Care to explain what the hell is going on?"

"You of all people should know." He replied.

"Not really. I mean you and I are different."

"Because you are human." he said softly.

"Yes! I mean I thought Inoue made you human too, but I guess that wasn't the case."

"This body is human." he stated.

"And your soul?" Ichigo asked.

"I do not know. I believe that it is impossible, even with her powers to change one's soul. It would seem that it was only a matter of time before that aspect of my existence would resurface again."

"So what are you saying? Do you have like multiple personalities?"

"Do you?" he countered.

"No, but it felt like it at times."

"Then I guess we are more alike than you think." He said honestly.

Ichigo remained silent for a moment and then asked, "So what do you plan to do about it?"

"I have been approached by Hirako Shinji. For some reason he has offered to help me to control this."

"Shinji wants to help you become a Vizard?" Ichigo asked stunned.

"I am not certain if that is his plan. I understand that the Vizards were once Shinigami. I was not, and that makes this very different."

"So do you wish to control your hollow or regain its power?" Ichigo blurted out.

Kurosaki's words angered him, but deep inside he knew that it was because he had wondered the same thing at times. He hated being helpless. To have been as powerful as he was as an Espada, it was unbearable to now be so weak. Yet he did not wish to lose himself like he had before. What he desired for himself had changed considerably since Hueco Mundo.

"You more so than anyone else can understand that that kind of power comes with no self control. You were not even aware of what you were doing on the rooftop of Las Noches. I do not desire raw power alone."

"Honest as always." Ichigo replied.

"I do not wish to lose what I have, but I would like to be able to protect it."

"As well as Inoue?"

He nodded his head.

"If I do not act soon I could very well place her in danger." He replied.

"So then are you going to see Shinji?"

"After yesterday I feel that I have no other choice."

"Then we should get going."

"We?" he asked.

"Well you're not going to find him on your own." Ichigo returned.

"Orihime knows the way."

"Oh no, that is not something that you want her to see."

"She has insisted."

"So tell her no."

"I cannot."

"What?"

"She is stubborn..."

"No I believe the term would be whipped. You are whipped." With that he started to laugh. "Unbelievable. Who would have ever thought that Orihime would call the shots in your relationship. You wouldn't catch me letting some girl boss me around."

He only stared silently at Kurosaki. He had discovered during his time at school, that teenage males could be very immature at times. Ichigo more so than others. Still he would let the teen enjoy his moment. He viewed his relationship with Orihime very differently. She hated being helpless as much as he did. It would do her more harm to sit and wait elsewhere than to face this head on.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime asked from the doorway.

"Inoue." He replied. His laughing stopped and he suddenly appeared embarrassed.

"I did not know you were here." She said.

"I had something to talk about with Ulquiorra."

"He wants to come with us to see Hirako." he said.

"You make it sound like some play date." Ichigo replied indignantly.

"You do not need to go."

"I believe I do."

Orihime stepped forward and placed her hand in his and squeezed.

"I think it would be wonderful if Kurosaki-kun came along. Then you would have another friend to help you."

"I think Inoue is right Ulquiorra. You should listen to her."

He only glared at Ichigo. The teen in turned began to snigger.

"You are juvenile." He said under his breath.

Ichigo grinned and said, "I guess we should go then."

* * *

Ichigo led them to an abandoned warehouse district. The buildings were old and run down, the area deserted. He could think of no better place to live if one was trying to stay hidden. He did not know the entire story behind Shinji and his friends, but he understood that they had fled the Soul Society quite some time ago. He also gathered that Urahara was somehow involved, more than likely the Hogyoku as well.

They came to a stop and Ichigo pointed to a large building in front of them.

"That's the place." He said.

"It looks like a dump." He remarked.

"Yeah well it isn't much better on the inside either." Kurosaki replied.

"I guess we should go inside." He said.

"It's not like they're going to send out a welcoming party." Ichigo said. He paused and then turning to Ulquiorra continued, "Look not all of the Vizards are as friendly as Shinji."

"I am not looking to make friends."

"Understood, but they will kill you if this doesn't work. Nothing personal you know. It's just the way things work."

"I have realized that already." He said softly.

"Alright then let's go." Kurosaki said.

Yet as he went to open the large door to the structure Ulquiorra felt a surge in reiatsu. Ichigo dropped his hand from the door. They all turned around at the same time and were faced with two Shinigami.

"Renji!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"Hey Ichigo, care to explain what the hell you're doing?" The red haired Shinigami asked not sounding too pleased.

"I... we're... well it's kind of complicated." The teen began.

Suddenly the other Shinigami sprang to life. She lunged at Kurosaki and punched him square on the jaw. He staggered back but remained up right.

"Complicated!" she screamed. "You idiot this goes beyond complicated. How can you possibly defend yourself?"

Rubbing his jaw Ichigo yelled back, "Damn it Rukia. Why not give me a minute to explain before you try to beat the shit out of me."

"I haven't even begun to hurt you Ichigo. Of all the stupid stunts you have pulled in the past this has to be the dumbest of all."

"Hey shut up already. I haven't done anything wrong..."

"Then explain him!" she yelled as she pointed to Ulquiorra.

Ichigo stared at him and then stammered, "He's new at school..."

She punched him again this time with enough force to knock him to the ground.

"Wrong, idiot." She shouted.

"But he is new." Ichigo said as he struggled to stand.

"A technicality," she started. "We know who he is, or more specifically what he is." She turned and looked at Ulquiorra. "I was there when you came to retrieve Grimmjow."

He only stared at her silently. Beside him Orihime spoke up, "Kuchiki-san it's not what it seems. Please let us explain."

Turning to Orihime he said firmly, "You should remain silent. Do not say anything."

"Hey don't tell her what to do." Rukia said with irritation in her voice.

"If you consider her your friend you would not encourage her to explain."

"Don't talk to me about how to be a friend. Hollows know nothing of friendship." Rukia shot back.

"He's not hollow anymore." Orihime blurted out anxiously.

"You do not need to explain..." he began.

Orihime though cut him off.

"I am not going to remain silent when I can help."

He looked to Kurosaki as the teen came to his side. Ichigo coughed slightly to clear his throat and then said, "Inoue-san Ulquiorra is right..."

"You know you really are becoming quite the chauvinist." Rukia spoke up.

"I am trying to protect her." he yelled. "If you would just shut your trap for one second and listen you'd understand that."

Rukia was about to speak when Renji came up beside her. Placing his hand on her shoulder he said, "I cannot even imagine your explanation Ichigo, but you should know that this situation is not good."

Once again the reiatsu changed. Suddenly they were surrounded by four additional Shinigami.

"Rangiku-san?" Orihime whispered.

The lieutenant gave Orihime a compassionate look, but remained silent. She was joined by Ikkaku and Yumichika, as well as by a captain.

"Toshiro?" Ichigo said.

'"It's Captain Hitsugaya!" the young looking Shinigami said gruffly. Walking over to where Ulquiorra stood he said, " You are Ulquiorra Cifer, the fourth ranked Espada in Souske Aizen's army. You are a hollow and an enemy of the Soul Society. As such you are to come with us to stand in judgment for your actions in the Winter War."

Beside him Orihime gasped. Her hand reached out and grabbed his tightly.

"Look it's not that simple..." Ichigo tried to explain but was cut off.

"It is exactly that simple. He is a hollow. Hollows have no place amongst the living. You of all humans should know that." Hitsugaya said.

"But he's not hollow anymore." Orihime pleaded.

Rangiku walked over to her and said gently. "Orihime this situation is bad enough. The Soul Society is only interested in acting on the facts that we know about. Please, I'm begging you, do not give us anything else that could be used to implicate you as well."

Orihime simply stared at her trying to digest what was just said. Ichigo though spoke up saying, "Look let's just say he's a hollow living inside of a gigai. He's still not a threat to anyone anymore."

"Yesterday proved that wrong." Ikkaku spoke up.

"What are you talking about?" Kurosaki asked.

"We saw what happened. We felt his surge in reiatsu. It was dark and it was powerful."

Ulquiorra couldn't help but turn to stare incredulously at the Shinigami.

"You were there and yet you did nothing to help?" he said.

"Orders..." Ikkaku began, but Ulquiorra felt his control slip.

He lunged for the Shinigami and grabbing his collar hissed, "I was almost killed. If not for Orihime I would have bled to death. Let alone that Keigo could have been killed as well. I can see letting me die, but I thought the boy was your friend."

Ikkaku broke free of his grasp. Grabbing his zanpakuto he growled, "I will not be lectured by a hollow. Orders were orders and in the end your true nature came out."

Ulquiorra stared down Ikkaku's blade and said, "You Shinigami think that your rules and orders make you somehow morally superior, but history has proved time and again that you are nothing more that bullies trying to control every aspect of the spiritual realm."

Ikkaku made a low noise in his throat as he lunged for Ulquiorra.

"You fucking bastard. Don't ever compare us to filthy hollows."

Ulquiorra gauged his attack and struck back, grabbing the sword away from Ikkaku, effectively disarming the Shinigami. Inside of him he could feel the familiar dark reiatsu begin to stir.

_This fool is no match for me. Let me take him._

He shook his head and stared at the Shinigami.

"Attacking an unarmed man. Pretty cowardly an action if you ask me." He taunted.

"Damn punk." Ikkaku snarled as he ran for Ulquiorra. "You want to go hand-to-hand? I have no problem with that."

"Ikkaku!" Captain Hitsugaya yelled in a commanding tone. "Enough of this. We have our orders."

"Like he's going to go without a fight? Let me wear him out first,"

"You know that could prove disastrous if you ask me." Urahara said as he suddenly appeared from seemingly out of nowhere and stepped between the Shinigami and Ulquiorra. "I know you can feel his reiatsu growing stronger. Provoking him will not end well."

"You should stay out of this Urahara-san." Rukia spoke up.

"Ah but I can't. After all he's sort of like my adopted son." He said and with a wink pinched Ulquiorra on the cheek. "I can't just let you cart him away. Especially when that could cause you more harm than good."

"How would that be?" Hitsugaya asked.

"Well he really has no control over that hollow inside of him. Right now he can reason pretty well, but if you push his back to the wall he will react on instinct and you will let loose power that you are not equipped to contain."

"I think we can handle him." Toshiro replied.

"Let's say you can, what does Soul Society plan to do with him once you bring him back?"

"He will face judgment for his part in the war."

"You guys intend to kill him." Ichigo blurted out.

"He's a hollow..." Hitsugaya yelled.

"You know that excuse just won't work." Urahara said as he turned to Ulquiorra. Grabbing his cane he said, "But I guess seeing is believing."

He brought the tip of the cane quickly to Ulquiorra's forehead and gave a slight tap. Suddenly Ulquiorra felt a slight tugging sensation and then his body fell away as his soul disconnected from it. He stepped back and looked at Urahara who was smiling and holding his lifeless body as if it were some oversized doll.

"Well would you look at that, no hollow mask anywhere, not even a remnant." Kisuke said as he tapped his cane lightly on Ulquiorra's skull. "And I bet if we stripped him naked we wouldn't find a hollow hole either."

"Captain?" Matsumoto asked suddenly sounding less confident then before.

The young captain turned to her and said emphatically, "That doesn't change anything."

"Well in spirit form he still doesn't manifest as a hollow. I'd say that changes a lot." Urahara replied.

"It doesn't matter." He replied through gritted teeth. "Our orders were to bring him back and that is what we plan to do."

"How completely predictable." A voice called from the doorway to the warehouse. "Soul Society never changes do they. If someone doesn't conform to their standards then they have them eliminated."

Shinji stood with his hands folded and a sly smile on his face. Beside him were seven others, male and female, young and old. He assumed these were the other Vizards.

"Well it took you long enough Hirako." Ichigo said.

"Just watching the show. Seeing how this is gonna play out. I kinda figured it would go this way. Of course we can't just let you guys have him. It wouldn't be right."

"I don't see how this is any concern of yours Hirako." Rukia said.

"Oh it is very much my concern. See I have this problem with Soul Society making blanket judgments about people and then executing them without so much as a chance for an explanation to be given in the person's defense."

"There is no defending his actions." Captain Hitsugaya stated. "It is a known fact that he is an Espada and that he aided Captain Aizen in his plans to destroy Karakura Town and create the Kings Key."

"There you go proving my point." Hirako began and then in a voice heavy with resentment he continued, "Soul Society has such a narrow vision of the universe. Good is good and bad is bad, there's no in between. Whatever doesn't fit into their vision of the universe is simply destroyed."

"Hollows are corrupted souls." Hitsugaya countered.

"Yes they are," Urahara interrupted, "but we are not dealing with an ordinary hollow here. Ulquiorra evolved, as well as his fellow Espada. Whether they did it on their own or with Aizen's help they became something more than we previously understood. And now Ulquiorra has evolved again, granted against his will, he is no longer the hollow he used to be."

"It doesn't matter." Toshiro replied tersely.

"But it does matter." Urahara countered. "Think about it, when you cleanse a hollow you are enabling it to pass on to the Soul Society, effectively forgiving the evils it committed during its life as a hollow. In essence Ulquiorra has been cleansed, albeit a different route then usual."

"We have our orders. He is to return to the Soul Society with us now. All your philosophical musings aren't going to change that." Hitsugaya stated.

"I can't let you do that." Urahara said in a very serious tone. "At least not without giving him a chance to conquer the hollow that is threatening to consume his soul once again."

The captain laid his hand on the hilt of his Zanpakuto and was about to speak again when Orihime rushed forward. Placing her hand on his she pleaded, "Please Captain Hitsugaya, please don't take him back. He's changed since Hueco Mundo." She paused as she tried to control her voice that was beginning to crack as she struggled to keep from crying. "Heck he began to change in Hueco Mundo. At first, after he kidnapped me he was all rules and doing what Aizen commanded, but in the end he began to understand us more. He was curious about the human heart and he wanted to change."

"I would not go that far." He couldn't help but interject.

"Geez would you just shut up." Ichigo yelled. "She's pleading your case and you are doing nothing to help."

"But I never desired to be human." He responded.

Orihime turned and looked at him. The tears she had been holding back began to stream down her face. Too late he realized that his words had caused her to lose her control.

"I did not ask to be human," he said with complete honesty, "but now, after these past few months, I find that I do not wish to be anything else.".

His words brought a smile to her face and she rushed over and threw her arms around him. Around them the group grew silent. Suddenly he felt a presence behind him and without warning a strong hand reached out and grabbed him by the back of his collar and pulled him away from Orihime. He was released only to come face to face with a rather large and muscular man with silver hair.

"Enough of the sentimental bullshit." He said harshly. "Do you want to control that hollow or not?"

"I do." He replied.

The man looked to Captain Hitsugaya and said firmly, "Go tell the Old Man that we're taking a shot at him first. If he survives our training, you can try and take him back."

Toshiro was about to say something but the man cut him off apparently uninterested in the captain's reply.

Facing Ulquiorra he said, "I'm sick of waiting. As an Espada I'm expecting a lot from you, so no holding back. Time to show us what you've got."

From somewhere nearby he heard Shinji yell, "Hachi place a barrier around the area including the warehouse. We don't need any other guests being drawn into this."

He barely had time to think before a fist slammed into his stomach sending him flying through the air. He crashed through the side of the building and landed hard against the floor of the warehouse. Rising slowly to his feet he looked up to see the man coming for him.

"So this is how it works? This is how I learn to control my inner hollow?" he asked.

"We haven't even begun." The man replied. "This is just a test to see if you're even worth the effort."

With that said he came at Ulquiorra with his fist drawn back again ready to strike. Prepared a little better this time, he managed to dodge the attack. Now that his soul had been released from his body he was able to fight with more power. His abilities much like that of the Shinigami. With each strike he made he could feel himself grow stronger. A new confidence came over him as he realized that he could at least hold his own in this battle.

_Holding your own isn't good enough._

The voice taunted him from somewhere within. He tried to shake it off but it became harder as the fight progressed.

"You're holding back." The man taunted. "No one's here to see _you_ fight. Isn't it about time to show us what you've really got?"

"I came here to learn to control it. Why would I bring it out now?" he panted.

"You are just as scared as Ichigo was when he came here."

"I am no coward." He yelled back.

"Then show yourself. All of you."

He glanced quickly at Orihime who was gathered with the others some distance from where he fought. Suddenly he regretted his actions from earlier. He should have listened to Ichigo. Now it was too late. In Hueco Mundo he reveled in her fear at seeing him at his full strength. Now he found that it was the last thing he wanted her to witness.

_He is right Daisuke. You are afraid. Terrified that a mere human may be overwhelmed by what you really are!_

"No!" he screamed as he lunged for his opponent.

Though his strike connected the man reacted as if it were nothing.

"I said I want to see all of you. If you're gonna keep this up then it's time to change it up."

With that he reached up and seemed to grab at the air around his face. He had battled Ichigo enough to know what was coming. He was stronger now, but he wasn't sure if he had what it took to fight this man hollowfied.

_Let me at him._

Once again he shook off the voice inside his head.

"No more wasting my time." The man growled as he came at Ulquiorra full strength.

He struggled to keep up, but it was a losing battle. In the end he took a blow to the side of his head that sent him crashing to the ground below. He attempted to rise to his feet, but the movement caused his head to spin and he fell back to the ground.

_I can take him. _

No!

_You really are not going to have a choice soon._

He fought to hold on to consciousness but in the end he lost the battle. Somewhere in his mind he could sense that he was being chased. He was terrified, but he had to keep running.

_You are going to disappear Daisuke. And when you do I'll be here to take what's left._

**

* * *

**

A.N.

So thanks to ******Sgt Surge **who's review prompted me to get off my ass and finish this chapter!

Let's just say real life overwhelmed me for a while there, but I'm getting a grip on things. This chapter was started and stopped, then scrapped, then written from the middle (which is actually the beginning of 25), and finally what you read here. This was hard to write not just because of my semi-depressed state, but because there were so many characters involved and I really didn't want to screw things up.

I hope everybody got their fair share in the chapter and was in character or at least close. Urahara popping up seems pretty normal, so I hope he doesn't seem too out of place, and Kensei fighting Ulquiorra seemed a good bet. He would definately be annoyed at all the chatter so it seemed right for him to step in and bring on the action.

The next chapter is well under way so hopefully I can get on it (I just have to stay away from the Sims - that game is like crack!).

Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter and once again my apologies for taking so long to post. Please let me know what you thought of it.


	25. Chapter 25

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

******

Chapter 25

_Run. All he could think was to run. They were coming for him, close on his heels. Normally he could out run anyone if the need arose, but not today. He grasped his right arm tightly against his body to quell the horrific pain that was radiating from his shoulder. His side burned with each breath and he wondered if he had possibly broken some ribs when he slammed against the railing on the bridge._

_The ground beneath him was soft from the recent rains and it was hard for him to keep his footing. He had already fallen several times which only amplified the pain in his already fatigued body. He knew the terrain was just as difficult to manage for his pursuers, but it did not seem to slow them down. He could hear them closing the distance between them quickly._

_Desperation set in as he pushed himself harder. His brother's lifeless face plagued him as he ran; his grandmother's accusations screamed in his head. It had been an accident. He had never meant the child harm, but no one would ever believe him over her. She held the power, and he was nothing more than an abandoned relative left in her care._

_Digging deep within himself he pushed on towards the top of the hill where the cave was located. If he could just make it there, if he could just hide inside the cool darkness, he knew that they would go away. The place was believed to be inhabited by demons and anyone who ventured inside would be cursed. He did not give such outlandish tales any merit, yet he knew the men chasing him would be too afraid to follow._

_Just a bit further and he would be there. A shout rose up behind him and suddenly he felt a hand grab onto his clothes. He twisted violently trying to get away. The man struggled to hold on, but the cloth tore in his grasp. Daisuke felt it give, but could not stop himself from lurching forward as the tension suddenly disappeared. The ground beneath him began to slide and his footing became even more unstable. He reached out to right himself, but it was too late. The momentum was too great for him to overcorrect._

_He began to fall down the side of the hill, his body rolling out of control, slowed only by collisions with rocks and fallen tree limbs. His already battered body screamed in agony with each hit he took until finally his painful descent came to its horrid conclusion. His back slammed against a tree with tremendous force causing the air to rush out of his body. As he gasped for air he brought his hand to his throat only to discover a sharp protrusion coming from his chest._

_For a moment he sat stunned wondering how he could still be alive after such an injury. He felt the wood from the broken tree branch that had penetrated his back and exited through his chest just inches above his heart. It was sticky and warm, covered in blood, his blood. The trauma had yet to register in his brain. Once again he tried to breath, and as the air worked its way into his lungs the pain overwhelmed him._

_He tried to scream out, but only a soft gurgling sound escaped from his lips. Panic set in as he realized that he was going to die. The fact that he was breathing at that moment in itself was miraculous, but he understood that it was only a matter of time before even that ability would cease._

_Above him he could hear the men talking frantically amongst themselves. _

_"Damn it! I never intended for him to fall."_

_"It couldn't be helped. Don't blame yourself."_

_"We need to go after him."_

_"Are you crazy? With the ground like it is we could end up just like him."_

_"Then what do you suggest we do? We can't just leave him like that."_

_"We should tell the old woman and then come back with the proper tools so that we can get him out without risking our lives."_

_"It doesn't feel right leaving him like that."_

_"He killed the young master. He doesn't deserve pity. Leave him for now. It's for the best."_

_The men argued a few moments more. He tried to call out to them, but his voice was but a garbled whisper. In the end they headed for the main house leaving him alone to face his death._

_He sat there in the silence of the early evening gasping for air, his right leg a twisted mess beneath him, his arm, useless from his earlier injury, hung limply at his side. The pain began to ease slightly as numbness seeped into his body._

_He stared straight ahead, but it wasn't the surrounding forest that he saw. Instead a vision of his father lying still, close to death, greeted him._

_"Chichi," he choked out in a whisper._

_With his uninjured arm he struggled to reach out to touch his father just one more time, but he couldn't muster the strength necessary. Dropping his arm to his side he began to cry. The hot tears burned a path down his cheeks. He hadn't cried since that night seven years earlier when he had cut his ties with his mother. He had vowed never to cry again, but lying here, facing death alone, he could not fight the overwhelming emotions coursing through him._

_His father had died surrounded by those he loved, but Daisuke knew that his life would end on this dreary hillside with no one to comfort him, no one to ease his passing into the next life. _

_For most of his life he had faced loneliness and isolation. He had grown comfortable with the emptiness inside of him, but now, as he felt his life fading away, he desired nothing more than to be with someone, anyone, to ease this utter despair that washed over him. But that was not how it would be. His mother was holding another child in her arms; a son already cold from death. Her promise to hold a special place for him in her heart seemed forgotten. _

_Now it was too late. Regret gripped his soul and he wished that he could have back that moment seven years ago when he had refused her embrace. He would give anything to be held in her arms one more time, if only for this last moment._

_And then it became too hard to think any longer. He struggled to keep his eyes open, but the lids were too heavy. Sleep sounded good; a nice long sleep to ease his pain. He closed his eyes on the world and silently slipped from life into death._

* * *

"Is that all you've got?" Kensei taunted as he stared at Ulquiorra's body lying face down on the ground.

The last hit he had taken was pretty hard and Orihime feared that the Vizard had done more damage than intended. She fought the urge to run over to him when suddenly he began to stir. Slowly Ulquiorra pushed himself off the ground, but when he finally stood to face the Vizard, Orihime's breath caught in her throat. The right side of his face was hidden behind the beginnings of a hollow mask. His eyes had changed as well; the sclera becoming black with the cornea turning yellow.

"There it is." She heard Shinji say from behind her.

Almost instantly Ulquiorra sprang into action. An inhuman growl came from deep in his throat as he lunged for Kensei. The Vizard tried to push him aside, but Ulquiorra was too fast. His left hand shot out with lighting quick speed and grasped Kensei by the neck, slamming him against the far wall in the process. His right arm drew back and she understood what was about to happen.

"Shit!" Ichigo exclaimed from beside her.

Suddenly he, as well as the other Vizards sprang into action. Ichigo grabbed Ulquiorra's wrist and pulled his arm away from Kensei's chest. The other Vizards lunged forward and they managed to drag him to the ground. He lay there on his back, struggling against their combined weight.

"Damn, I guess we should have expected that." Shinji exclaimed. "Makes you seem kinda weak Ichigo."

"This is nothing." Ichigo panted as he fought to hold Ulquiorra down.

"Well I've seen enough." Hiyori said. She stood, brought her foot up, and then smashed it down on the mask covering Ulquiorra's face. It shattered on impact.

"Geez, you could be a little gentler." Shinji said.

"Shut it dickhead!" she replied. "He almost ripped Kensei's heart from his chest. This is insane."

"More the reason to do this." Shinji said.

Ulquiorra lay on the ground still held in the Vizard's grasp. He breathing was harsh as he tried to calm himself. His eyes had returned to normal and Orihime knew that he was able to think clearly once more.

Shinji brought his face close to his, and with a smile said, "You've got your work cut out for you my friend. Still want to do this?"

"Yes." Ulquiorra hoarsely replied.

"Then let's go." Shinji said.

"What!" Ichigo exclaimed. "You're not going to make him run on that stupid machine that Hiyori came up with?"

Shinji stood and waved his comment aside, "I don't think it's going to really make a difference."

"So it's ok to run me like a freaking hamster on a wheel, but he gets a free ride."

"Looks like it Berry-kun." Mashiro teased.

The Vizards released Ulquiorra and he sat up slowly.

"Could I have a moment before we do this?" he asked softly.

"Geez what a pussy!" Hiyori said. "I thought the Espada were supposed to be tough. Your hollow comes out and you look ready to piss your pants."

Ulquiorra gave no response to her taunt. His face was pale and Orihime could tell that he was shaken, but somehow she didn't think it had anything to do with the earlier hollowfication.

"Give a rest Hiyori," Rose said from beside him. "If he can't do this we're gonna have to kill him. Why don't you give a moment to collect himself in peace?"

"You're all going soft." She grumbled but walked away without further protest.

"I don't understand how this is going to help his case." Captain Hitsugaya interrupted.

Shinji focused his attention on the Shinigami. "You take him back like this and that hollow will come out again. There's no way it's going away without a fight, and if he's cornered it will lash out without reason. We're giving him the chance to control it so that doesn't happen."

"Giving him the chance to fully wield that kind of power could prove dangerous. He almost killed one of you just now."

"That was instinct. We're offering him a chance at containing it and utilizing it properly." Shinji replied.

"And if you fail?"

"Then you don't have a problem any more. We can't allow him to live, and honestly I don't think he would want to exist in that state again. Am I right Ulquiorra?"

Ulquiorra still sat on the floor of the warehouse. Silently he rose to his feet and turned to face Shinji.

"I need to get some fresh air." He said. With that he started for the door.

"One of us should follow him." Ikkaku said.

Orihime didn't wait for a reply from the other Shinigami. She followed Ulquiorra out the door leaving them to decide their course of action on their own.

She found him a few feet from the entrance to the warehouse standing quietly staring up at the sky. She approached him and silently reached for his hand giving it a squeeze. They stood in silence until he said softly, "I know how I died. I experienced it just before I started to change."

She didn't know how to respond. After everything that had occurred in the last twenty-four hours she was unsure of what to say anymore.

"I was alone." He continued, not waiting for her to say anything. "There was no one there to hold me, no one to offer words of comfort. They left me to die alone..."

She couldn't bear to hear anymore. Turning to face him she grabbed him and drew him close to her. Wrapping her arms around him tightly she cried, "You're not alone anymore Ulquiorra. I'm here. Urahara-san, Kurosaki-kun, we're all here for you."

He brought his arms up and returned her embrace. Softly he said, "When I taunted you in Hueco Mundo it was my own fear and disappointment that I was trying to suppress. I hated your resolve, your complete faith in your friends. Even alone you were ready to face death because you were secure in their love."

"You have our love…"

Ignoring her he continued on, "I was glad when you appeared on the rooftop with Uryu. I wanted you to see Kurosaki die. I wanted you to see that your hopes were misplaced." He paused seemingly lost in thought. "He wouldn't give up either. He knew I was superior in strength, but he continued to fight. Why? Why would he do that? He knew he was defeated before we even began. Why would he continue to fight?"

She didn't have an answer for him, and part of her felt that he really wasn't looking for one from her. Inside he was struggling with something that only he could figure out. Still she wanted to do something, say something, to make it better, but before she could speak he broke free of her embrace and stepped away from her.

She could hear the frustration in his voice as he said, "I do not know what I am doing here anymore. This was a mistake. I do not belong in your world; I never did. You should have left me as ash. Bringing me back has brought you nothing but trouble."

His words sparked something within her. Anger that she was so unaccustomed to feeling began to course through her veins. She knew what he was doing. He was giving up. He was going to back down from this and walk away. Without thought she brought her hand up and struck him hard across the face. His eyes registered shock and she was glad.

"How dare you say such a thing." She said. "How dare you."

Tears began to well up in her eyes, but she fought to keep them from falling. She would not cry, not now, not when she had so much to lose.

Looking into his eyes she continued, "After all that we have gone through I never would have pegged you for a coward."

His eyes grew wide in surprise at her words. The mask that he had crafted to hide his emotions, the one that had been slowly breaking apart over the past few months, seemed to shatter. He reached out and grabbed her arms and brought his face close to hers.

"I am no coward!"

"Then fight for your life!" she yelled. "You're scared Ulquiorra. You understand what is at stake here and it terrifies you. But that's part of being human. Don't you think Ichigo was scared in Hueco Mundo? Don't you think we all were scared? But we fought on because we had to. The human heart drives us on to fight for what is most important." She paused for a moment as the tears that she had tried to suppress began to fall. Looking into his eyes she continued on softer than before. "I can't imagine my life without you. Please, please don't give up now."

His grip on her arms loosened and suddenly she felt his arms embrace her and pull her close. Silently she sobbed into his chest. He remained still, never speaking, until at last she gained control again. Finally he let out a deep sigh.

"The human heart brings one much pain and discomfort."

"But it also brings great joy." She replied.

"It causes one to do things that are foolish."

"Yes it does."

"Would it not be better to feel nothing?"

"And miss those moments of bliss? All I went through in Hueco Mundo was worth it when I saw you smile for the first time. When I knew that I helped to make you happy."

"You are mistaken." He said. "I do not smile."

"Oh you think you don't but I've seen a few here and there. You try to act all serious, but you have a silly side. I know it."

He only stared at her.

"Don't worry. I won't let your secret out. I know how important it is for guys to seem tough and all grrrr."

"That does not even make sense."

For some reason his words made her blush.

"I just… it's just… well you know…I like when you smile…a lot more then when you're all serious and stuff…"

Without warning he pressed forward and took her lips with a little more force than usual, effectively cutting off her rambling. He then moved his mouth slowly towards her ear and in a husky whisper said, "You are the strangest human I have ever met."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" she asked.

He pulled back slightly and looked at her for a moment, and then it happened. A smile, not his usual teasing, little smirks, but a genuine smile. She couldn't help but sigh in response.

"Strange can be good." She whispered.

"I like strange." He replied. "I like strange very much."

Suddenly she heard a cough from behind them. Startled she jumped and turning around saw Rangiku and Captain Hitsugaya staring at her and Ulquiorra. Rangiku stood smirking, like a cat that had just caught its prey. The captain on the other hand stood gaping with his mouth wide open, shock clearly written all over his face.

"Well, I guess I should have expected this. Can't leave you two alone for a minute can we?" she teased.

Orihime couldn't help but flush red from head to toe.

"We were just talking…"

"That's my kind of talking!"

"Lieutenant!" Toshiro yelled. "This isn't something to joke about."

"Would you prefer all this tension?"

"This is a serious situation."

"All the more reason for a little fun." She replied and then winked at Orihime. "Orihime seems to understand that."

Captain Hitsugaya ignored her response.

"If you are going to do this," he said looking at Ulquiorra, "then we should head back inside before I change my mind and we take you with us now."

"No, no," Orihime began. "We don't want that. Ulquiorra just needed some time to think."

"Then we should go." Toshiro said.

They began to head back inside. She walked a few steps ahead of Ulquiorra, next to Captain Hitsugaya. Rangiku walked behind her. She could hear her talking quietly to Ulquiorra, but she couldn't hear what was being said. She could only hope it wasn't too embarrassing.

* * *

"I suppose you were standing there for awhile." He asked Matsumoto as soon as Orihime was out of earshot.

She smiled and replied, "Long enough. Though I have to say you bring out a certain intensity in Orihime that I have never seen before with anyone else."

"She has been just as intense before."

"Really? So you're one of those kinds of guys."

"I am unsure of what you mean?"

"You know the kind that likes it a little rough."

He remained silent at her taunt, unsure of how to respond to such teasing. Rangiku looked at him and let out a laugh.

"It's odd how two people who are so completely different can fit together so perfectly."

This time he could feel his face flush at her remarks. The idea of being in a relationship with another, caring for that person's needs and desires, was so foreign to him as it was, but to hear her talk about it so openly was a little embarrassing.

"Am I to understand that you then approve of this fit." He asked.

She laughed again and replied, "Anyone else would be too boring. She needs a little spice."

He assumed that was her way of saying yes to his question. Slowing his step he turned to her and said, "I have something to ask of you."

She stopped and replied, "Go ahead."

"I do not know what to expect from this. Kurosaki says that it is no place for someone like Orihime." He paused for a moment and then said, "If things go wrong she will try to fix it. I need to know that she will not be able to interfere. If I lose this battle it is most likely that she will be the first to get hurt."

"Then don't lose." She said in a deadly serious tone of voice.

"And if Soul Society refuses to forgive my past?"

"Then I will do everything within my power to keep her from harm."

"I see." He replied. "Thank you."

Her face registered surprise at his response, but just as quickly it was gone. They both began to walk again in silence. Her simple reassurance was enough for now. He would need to focus on this battle first then he could worry about Soul Society.

They joined the Vizards and the other Shinigami. The room was heavy with tension. Shinji stepped forward and said, "Are you ready to begin?"

He nodded his head in response.

"There is a limited span of time to do this once we start. I can't guarantee how long that time frame will be for you, but you must master your inner hollow before then or we will have to end it for you."

"I understand."

"Aright then," Shinji replied. Quickly he brought his hand up to Ulquiorra's face. "Let's get this started."

Suddenly the room went dark and he could feel himself falling. It had begun. There was no turning back now. As the world slipped away he heard Orihime's words once more: _The human heart drives us on to fight for what is most important. _He knew what was most important now and he vowed he would do everything to fight for it and for her.

* * *

**A.N. **Now on with the show!


	26. Chapter 26

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

******

Chapter 26

_He sat quietly on an outcropping of rocks at the mouth of the cave that had been his favorite place to hide from the old woman when her demands upon him became too much to bear. He was unsure of exactly how long he sat. Time had become irrelevant for some unexplainable reason. All he did know was that something bad had happened to him, something horrific. He tried to think about what it could be, but his head hurt with the effort. _

_As he scanned the area he remembered being chased, yet he was unsure as to why. His gaze came to rest on the edge of the hillside several feet away from where he stood. Instinctively he took a step back._

_"Be careful or you will fall," he thought to himself._

_Fear began to overwhelm him. He must stay away from there. It was unsafe. It would bring him pain, great pain, if he were to attempt to look over the edge. _

_A memory suddenly seized him; sharp, tearing pain as something tore through his body from his back to his front. His hand went to his chest just to make sure he wasn't injured, but instead of an injury he found a chain. _

_"What is this?" he cried aloud in fear._

_Both hands grasped the chain and pulled, but it wouldn't budge. It was as if it had fused to his body, somehow becoming a part of him, but how. How could this have happened? Was it a result of the accident?_

_Memories again came back to him. Falling, he was falling. Someone had chased him and he had slipped. He had fallen and that fall had been … been …fatal._

_"Impossible!" _

_He was alive. Even with the unexplained chain protruding from his chest, he knew he wasn't dead. Still he couldn't bring himself to look down the hill into the ravine. He was terrified of what he would find, so he went back to the rocks and sat, and waited. Just what he was waiting for he couldn't say, but he knew he would recognize it when it presented itself._

_How long he sat did not matter. Day, night, no longer held consequence._

_"Because you are dead." A voice whispered in his ear._

_He turned to see who had spoken, but no one was there._

_"I am not dead!" he yelled into the emptiness of the forest._

_I am not dead, he continued to tell himself. If he said it enough it would be true._

_

* * *

_

Days, weeks, an eternity could have passed and he would not have noticed. Finally two men appeared. They approached the ravine's edge and glanced down.

_One pointed and said, "There, I see him by that tree."_

_"The ground is still unstable so use caution." The other replied. "We don't want to end up like him."_

_They paused and tied rope to a nearby tree and then to their waists. Carefully they made their way down the hillside and out of his line of vision. They were silent as they made their descent. Once they reached whatever it was they were looking for they began to speak again._

_"I don't understand." The one began. "It's only been a few days."_

_"Animals I assume," replied the other. "They can pick a corpse clean in less time than this."_

_Suddenly he heard a retching sound as the other man vomited._

_"How can you speak so calmly?" he asked after regaining his composure slightly. "A few days ago he was a living person."_

_"Life can end quickly. I've seen worse. You get used to it after awhile. The key is to detach yourself from who he was and look at the body as only that, a body."_

_"I can't… my son… he wasn't much older than my son."_

_"You can't think about that now. The old woman wants to see the remains so she can be certain it's him. Let's gather all that we can find quickly. Tonight we'll share some drinks and try to erase this from our minds."_

_"No amount of drink will ever get this image from my mind." The other said softly. "Honestly I don't even see what difference it makes. She will not be able to identify him. There's so little left."_

_For a moment the other man remained silent, and then he replied solemnly, "His one eye is still intact. The old women will not be able to deny him when she sees that. No one around here had eyes that green. I'll just have to be careful with the skull…"_

_Retching sounds again, this time with much greater force, lasting longer. Then silence punctuated by gasping sounds as the one man tried to regain his composure._

_"You need to get control of yourself. The old woman will not tolerate weakness. She will believe your loyalties are divided, and you will be dismissed or worse." _

"_Surely you are not suggesting that she would have us killed." His companion said. Daisuke could hear the panic clearly evident in his voice._

"_You and I alone know the fate of this child." And then softer, almost too soft for him to hear, "Only we know who he really was."_

"_I would never tell a soul…"_

"_Remember this body," the other replied. "Remember your own son; lest it be him we come for next."_

_Neither spoke after that. In silence they collected what remained of the body and then slowly made their way back up the hillside. He caught sight of them as they crested the hill. Both looked worn, almost as if they had aged ten years since they began their mission. Their faces were pale and their steps were slow. The one man carried a pack on his back and Daisuke could not help but feel an attachment to it. As much as he wanted to stay in this place, he felt compelled to follow them, to stay close to the remains._

"_Your remains."_

_He pushed the thought from his head as he began to follow the men back to the main house. Absently his hand went to the chain protruding from his chest. He began to finger each link, counting them over and over again, as he tried to calm himself._

_One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve._

_He understood that he had passed. As much as he wished to continue to deny it he had to face the truth before him. He had always believed in that which could be seen, and there was no denying the body now resting in the man's pack, or the chain that came from his chest. Somehow he knew that these links were the only thing anchoring his soul to this world. _

_

* * *

_

The men sent word to the old woman that they had returned and she agreed to meet them in a secluded area of the property. Darkness had begun to fall, and a chill touched the springtime air causing the one man to shiver.

"_Calm down." His partner hissed as the old woman approached. "You can't give her any reason to doubt you."_

_The other man nodded and took a deep breath to calm himself._

"_So you have something to show me." His grandmother spat out as she came to a stop a few feet away from where the men stood._

"_We found what you asked for Yamasaki-sama." The man holding the remains said._

_He stepped forward and went down on one knee. Carefully he opened the sack and untied the rope. He held it open for her to see, but did not remove the remains._

"_You bring me a sack filled with bones and expect me to be satisfied."_

"_No Yamasaki-sama. There is proof, but it is rather unpleasant."_

"_I have just witnessed the murder of my grandson. There is nothing that can unsettle me anymore." She said with ice in her voice._

_He nodded and then placed the sack onto the ground at his feet. Carefully he lifted the skull out to show her. Daisuke looked on in horror. He couldn't have turned away if he had wanted to. _

_Cradled in the man's dirty hands was a skull. Bits of flesh and tufts of hair remained in places, but most distinguishable was the eye that the man had mentioned earlier._

_His grandmother stared silently for a moment. To most people her expression remained completely impassive, but he could see the pleasure that was evidence by a slight upturn to her lips. She was glad it was him; pleased that her own flesh and blood was dead. He did not know what he expected from her, but he should not have been surprised by this. Still it left him feeling a little emptier than he had been a moment earlier._

_Absently he fingered the links on the chain again as he tried to calm himself._

_One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven._

_No, that could not be. The whole way over he had counted twelve. Frantically he counted again._

_One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven._

_Impossible, how could one link have disappeared. He tried to calm himself, but it was no good. Each time he counted he came up with the same amount -eleven. He did not fully understand why this chain was here, but he had determined earlier that it somehow bound him to this world. What would happen then if the links disappeared? What would become of him? _

"_When the links are gone, you will no longer exist."_

_The voice again taunting him mercilessly. He closed his eyes tight and tried to ignore it, but he couldn't quite erase the gnawing feeling that the voice spoke the truth. A new fear began to creep into his being. He had not been ready to die, but he was even less prepared to leave this world for good. _

"_Take the remains and cremate them."_

_His grandmother's words startled him from his thoughts. The man holding the skull, his skull, placed it back inside the sack and stood._

"_You are to speak of this to no one." She said as soon as he stood erect once more._

"_Yamasaki-sama?" he asked in a voice that gave hint to the strain he had been through that day._

"_No one is to know the boy is dead. My daughter has suffered enough with the loss of her son; I will not have any more disturbing news brought to her."_

"_As you wish Yamasaki-sama." He replied._

"_I believe I do not need to remind you both that if anyone finds out the truth, your lives will be of little value to me."_

"_No Yamasaki-sama." They both said almost in unison._

_They turned and left. Daisuke once again followed them. He felt a need to be with his body until the end. After that he was unsure of where he would go._

* * *

Orihime watched the sight before her with mixed emotions. This process that Ulquiorra was to go through was necessary to control his inner hollow, and for that she was glad. When it was over he would be free of his ties to Hueco Mundo and his past existence that was so filled with emptiness. Instead he would be able to embrace his humanity and fully enjoy the friendships that he had begun to forge these past few months.

However the return of her friends from the Soul Society brought an even greater threat, in her opinion, than his hollow. She had seen their 'justice' before when her friend Rukia was accused of breaking one of their sacred laws. She understood that if he were to be given a trial it would strictly be for show. They would execute him. She was sure of that, and yet she had no idea how to stop that from happening.

One thing at a time she reminded herself. First he had to survive this, and then they would worry about the Soul Society.

"Are you sure you want to witness this?" Ichigo asked from beside her.

"Eh?" she asked still caught up in her earlier thoughts.

"It's not going to be easy to watch, and if he doesn't succeed…"

"He will succeed, I know it!" She said emphatically. "No matter how difficult this may be to watch I will not leave him to face it alone."

"In all honesty he will not even know you are here." Ichigo said in reply.

"I will know." She stated. "And I believe that deep down inside he will too. I promised not to abandon him and I won't."

A low groan broke through their conversation. Instantly they both looked to where Ulquiorra lay, face down, held immobile by five pillars of stone. The noise became louder and a slight bit more frantic. The pillars began to sway slightly as the noise increased.

"It looks like he is finally waking." Shinji said to no one in particular.

The other Vizards tensed at his words. They knew what was about to happen, they had been through it before, yet despite that she could sense the apprehension in their stances. And in that moment the reality of the situation hit her hard. She could lose him. She really could lose him.

She had been so naïve about this; from the moment she rejected his existence as a hollow to the danger of what he was about to attempt. She had always believed things would work out. But now, watching as the Vizards prepared to battle this hollow inside of Ulquiorra, she felt her faith begin to falter.

In Hueco Mundo she had faced Ulquiorra at his worse. He had expected her to lose hope then, but she had held on, just for a chance to save Ichigo. Now when he needed her most she began to feel that horrible feeling of helplessness creep into her heart. For the first time in her life she began to feel despair.

"Not now," she whispered to herself. "Not when he needs you to be strong."

"Inoue?" Ichigo asked.

She ignored him and focused her eyes on Ulquiorra. She understood that by definition despair meant an absence of hope. It crippled you, made you doubt yourself, until you couldn't do anything but fear the future. But she had to do something to help him. She knew that despite the hopelessness she now felt, she would have to find the courage to fight for him.

Maybe that was what defined a true hero, she thought. To stand in the face utter desolation and find the will to continue to fight. It wasn't about strength and glory. Instead it was courage and humility that drove one to fight for something no matter what the cost to oneself. And she realized that she would fight for Ulquiorra's life even if it meant losing her own.

_

* * *

_

The cool, dampness of spring gave way to the hot, oppressiveness of summer. He though paid little attention to the change of the seasons. The weather was unimportant to him as he now existed. The changing seasons did little to ease the emptiness that had begun to overwhelm him since that first day he had become conscious of his death and the inevitability of his disappearance from this world. The links in the chain protruding from his chest had begun to erode at an alarming rate. In just the six months since he had noticed the twelfth link was gone, six more had vanished. Five links left, and then what would become of him?

_A part of him knew the answer. That voice that taunted him mercilessly made it clear that he would cease to exist. But what did that mean exactly? Would he just be gone with no chance of ever being reborn into this world, or worse would he become a monster like the one that his grandfather had claimed killed his uncle all those years ago? Neither scenario gave him any comfort. The despair that he had felt during his last moments of life now weighed even heavier on his heart._

_To ease his pain he had sought out the one person he knew capable of bringing him comfort, his mother. It had been years since she had actually held him in her arms and whispered soothing words to relieve his fears, but she was the only person he could turn too. So he spent his days in her presence hoping for something to cling to, something to believe in, but ironically being around her only seemed to speed up the erosion of the links on his chain. Even with this knowledge that his time spent with her was hastening his end he couldn't seem to pull himself away from her._

_Her days played out in similar fashion with one blending into the next. She would lie awake in bed for most of the night finding sleep in the wee hours of the morning, only to awake as the sun filtered through her bedroom window. Though awake she would lie in bed until the sun had made its way high into the sky. Then she would rise, dress, and slowly make her way to the family grave where she would then kneel for hours in silence until someone came to retrieve her, usually before the evening meal. If she ate it was at this time. Her body had wasted away until she was little more than bones. Her once beautiful hair lay limp and dull around her shoulders, her face was gaunt, and her eyes were lifeless._

_No one made any move to reach out to her. Her husband seemed oblivious to his wife's current state, and every effort was made to keep the child Nagisa from having any contact with her. This was most likely his grandmother's orders. The old woman could not be bothered by her daughter's depression. She had gotten what she desired most from her, an heir, and whether she lived or died any more seemed of little consequence to her. In fact he was the only one that seemed spend any time with her; a fact that made little difference as she was unaware of his constant presence in her life._

_Today started out similar to every other before it, but all that changed as the sky began to darken with the approach of nightfall. Instead of the usual servant approaching where she knelt and bringing her home, it was the old woman who appeared at dusk. She silently walked over to where his mother knelt. _

_Standing beside her she stared at the family grave for a moment and then spoke, "This pathetic display has gone on quite long enough Asako. I tolerated it from your father until the day he died, but I will not allow the same from you. Your son has been dead for sixth months. His soul has passed on. Your duty here is finished. It is now time to return to your responsibilities among the living."_

_If his mother heard her she gave no indication. Instead she continued to kneel in silence, her gaze still focused on the family grave._

"_Damn it Asako! You have an obligation to your family, to those who are living…"_

"_Have you heard anything more about Daisuke?" his mother suddenly asked._

_His grandmother grew rigid at her interruption. Her eyes narrowed and her brows knitted together. When she spoke he could hear the hostility in her voice._

"_The boy is gone. He escaped after he murdered Kentarou. I am sure that as shrewd and cunning as he is, he knows better then to linger in this region."_

"_Daisuke would never go far. We promised each other…"_

"_He is gone Asako!"_

_His mother continued to stare ahead, but a slight smile lit her face. _

"_Sometimes when I am up here alone, when the world is silent and still, I can feel him with me. It is almost like he is standing here by my side."_

"_This is nonsense." His grandmother spat. "The boy is gone."_

_His mother continued on, seemingly ignoring the old woman's words. "Sometimes if I look out of the corner of my eye I can see him. But I must remain still. If I turn and face him he disappears."_

_He couldn't help but gasp in surprise. She could sense him. All this time it wasn't Kentarou she had been trying to connect with. It had been him. A flutter of hope took wing in his heart, but that was crushed immediately by his grandmother's response._

"_Enough Asako, the boy is gone! He is not coming back to you."_

"_That's not true."_

_His grandmother reached down and grabbed his mother by her hair. Pulling her head back so that she could look into the old woman's eyes she yelled, "The boy is gone Asako, gone. He is never coming back because he cannot."_

"_I do not understand."_

_Finally losing her self control the old woman screamed, "He is dead Asako, dead. He died shortly after Kentarou."_

_His mother brought her hand to her mouth. Tears began to stream down her face as a low, moaning sound escaped from her throat._

"_No he cannot be…I have seen him…he is here with me…I have to tell him that I was wrong…"_

"_You are a fool Asako. The boy murdered his brother just to seek power and control of this family's assets. There is no forgiving that." She released her hold on his mother and stepped back. "He fell while running from my men. His injuries were too severe. They left him to report back to me, and when they returned there was little left…"_

_His mother brought her hands to her ears._

"_Stop it! Stop it! I can't hear anymore."_

"_But it is the truth. The boy is dead, and at the time I believed that keeping that from you would be for the best, but now I see that I was wrong. Your mind is fragile and weak, and allowing you this time alone with your fantasies has done you more harm."_

_His mother dropped her hands and wrapped them tightly around herself._

"_You left him to die alone? How could you? How could you do that to him? There was no one to mourn his passing, no one to say the prayers necessary for him to pass on to the next life. His soul could be trapped here forever."_

"_More likely he was carted off to the darkness where he belongs."_

_His mother rose with lightening quick speed. Her face was red with anger. Reaching out she struck the old woman with all her strength causing her to stumble back._

"_How dare you! How dare you condemn him after all that you have done!"_

"_All that I have done" The old woman said incredulously. " I have given you a home when you could no longer provide for yourself. I gave that boy an education and trusted him with authority and responsibilities."_

"_You set him up." His mother yelled hysterically. "You set them both up, and I was too great a fool to see what you were doing."_

"_You saw what you wanted to see. You always have. That's why it was so easy to get you to return home. All I needed to do was tell you what you wanted to hear."_

"_Hiromasa's letter was a lie?" his mother asked._

_His grandmother laughed and replied, "No, the fool sent the letter, but it was never intended for me. He hoped your father would help you and the boy. He pleaded with him to provide you with money so you could hire laborers to help with the planting and harvest. Only your father never received that letter. He was too lost in his grief. He left his responsibilities to me. So I received the letter. It was the answer to all my problems. With Ichiro gone I had no one to take over when your father and I passed. I came up with a plan to save our family's lands and you played right into it."_

"_So it was all a lie? Hiromasa never intended for us to come back here?"_

"_He was adamant that your father keep his letter from me. He wanted nothing to do with this household. The last thing he would have wanted was for me to control the fate of that child." Once again she laughed as she continued her taunts, "I took great joy in crushing that boy. Hiromasa was dead, I could no longer touch him, but I could exact my revenge for his insolence by taking from him the one thing he treasured above all others, by destroying the life of his only son."_

_Any fight that was left in his mother left her at those words. She fell to her knees and began to wail uncontrollably. _

"_My son…my precious son…"_

_He stood in shock from all that had been revealed. He had always known that the old woman hated him, but he had never stopped to think that it had all been a lie. Everything that he had believed and sacrificed for had been cleverly controlled by the bitterness of his grandmother._

"_It was all for nothing." He whispered. _

_A chill crept into his being as complete and utter despair began to overwhelm him. It had been for nothing. His whole life had been for nothing. He had died alone, his mother's sanity was being taken from her before his very eyes, and it had been for nothing._

_His chest began to burn, and as he looked down he noticed with horror that the links in the chain coming from his chest had taken on a life of their own. Giant mouths appeared on the ends of each link as they quickly began to devour each other. He reached down and tried to grab them, but he was too late. The last link dissolved and a hole began to form in his chest._

_He screamed out from both fear and pain as a white substance started to spew forth from the hole. It began to encase his torso in a hard, boney shell. At the same time his fingers began to elongate, the nails growing until his hands became more like claws. A dark fur began to cover his arms and legs until it merged with the armor that had grown around his upper body._

_His back began to tear as he felt something growing and eventually bursting from between his shoulder blades. Wings; long, elegant, wings made of the same white substance that encased his body sprang forth. He flexed and stretched them to their full length with the same control as he would his arms or legs. At the same time a tail began to swirl around his legs. This too he could control, and the part of him that was fascinated by such things couldn't help but be amazed at this transformation. _

_Yet that awe was quickly crushed as the white substance began to enclose around his face. As it spread he could feel his sanity and control began to slip. _

"_I am going to disappear." He thought. "This is the end."_

_And as the mask began to form completely he let out a scream that slowly turned into a terrifying howl. Pain, such great pain, encased him. He felt tears fall from his eyes as the last of his control slipped away. The tears turned to acid and burned a permanent path from his eyes to the edge of the mask that now sealed his humanity away._

_In reality it happened incredibly fast. One moment he was Daisuke, and the next he was gone._

_

* * *

_

Pain.

_Loneliness. _

_Despair._

_So empty._

_So hollow._

_I must find something to fill this void._

_I must make the emptiness cease._

_The old woman. I will kill the old woman. She has much strength in her. Great power at her disposal._

_I will kill her and take that power, and it will fill me, and I will no longer be empty._

_I reach out to her. My claws trace a path of blood down her face as I scrape the tender flesh to the bone. _

_She screams in pain, but also in fear. She is terrified because she cannot see me. The physical pain is miniscule in comparison to the fright caused by my unseen presence. _

_I will play with her first. I will make her feel despair, and when there is no hope left I will take her soul._

_I punish her. A blow to the face to silence her lies._

_A shove to the ground to show her that I am more powerful than she._

_And when I am satisfied, when her cries have turned to whimpers, I take her neck with my tail, and I lift her up until she is level with my face._

_I trace my long, sharp nail, around the place in her chest where her heart should lie. The heart houses the soul. I will take that from her and then I will consume her soul._

_My hand shoots out and buries itself in her chest. She gasps as the life leaves her body. I inhale that gasp; that last breath of life. Her soul is mine._

_I should feel satisfied, but I am not. Her soul was not strong enough to fill this void. I turn to the younger woman; mother._

_I have no need to play with her. The fear is evident on her face. She has just witnessed my power. She knows what I will do to her._

_Still she is different. I caress her face with my sharp nails instead of ripping the flesh. We will be together her and I. I will carry her soul with me for eternity._

_I am pleased that I do not need to punish her like I did the old woman. I can already taste her despair and it is sweet._

"_Come to me woman." I say aloud._

_I reach into her chest. I can feel her warm heart beating in my hand. She will be with me and the emptiness will cease._

_Yet as I consume her soul I find it is not enough. Madness overwhelms me. I will kill them all if I have to. I will take all their souls until I am satisfied. I will continue on until I am no longer empty even if it takes me an eternity._

* * *

Ulquiorra opened his eyes and found himself standing in the cold, sandy desert that was Hueco Mundo.

Death.

Emptiness.

Desolation.

What had once been his home now overwhelmed him. He had not realized how used to the World of the Living he had become until this moment.

"You have become weak and pathetic."

He looked up and locked eyes with Despair.

"You cannot defeat me Daisuke. I do not understand why you would even try."

He stood tall and thought of Orihime waiting for him back in Karakura Town. He remembered the others who had placed their trust in him.

"I will fight you because I have to. I will defeat you because I have no other option."

"Then you will lose Daisuke. You are ill equipped for this battle, and those flimsy reasons will only carry you so far. I am far superior in strength and power."

He then spread his wings to their full length. His tail swayed back and forth behind him preparing to strike when the time was right.

"You will have to do better than that if you intend to defeat me."

"I see." He replied.

Somewhere within him was the way to defeat his hollow. He just had to figure out what that was before his time, and life, ran out.

* * *

**A.N. **Sorry this took so long. The material was so dark and depressing, and with my own inner demons to fight this past month, I really wasn't eager to write it out. I know it is also very heavy with the flashbacks, but to those of you who don't enjoy them it is the last. His original hollowfication was an essential part of the story. I also hope the grandmother's death was satisfying enough. I was trying not to get too wordy, but she did get hers in the end.

Thanks to all who reviewed. **Stormcrowley** gave me some incredible insights in a PM that was a pleasure to read. I also like the comparison to the mental chess game - definately how I envision the inner battle. Also **Professor Stein **and **Sylvertongue** had great insights into the upcoming battle. And **Wolfenhawk** - the bookmark on google was flattering - thanks. Finally special thanks to **Motif** who reviewed almost every chapter she read. I know there were so many more and I do appreciate everyone who took the time to review.

I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I know people are anxious to get to the battle - it does begin now.


	27. Chapter 27

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

**

** Chapter 27**

The pillars pinning Ulquiorra to the ground began to crack as the shaking increased. As they crashed to the ground Hachi immediately put up another barrier surrounding the former Espada.

"Looks like I'm first to get a shot at him." Shinji said.

"Sure get in while it's still easy." Hiyori shot back sarcastically.

"Something tells me nothing about this is going to be easy." Love piped in.

Shinji shook his head and said, "I'm afraid I just might have to agree with ya on that one. Still old rules apply, ten minutes in and then you're out."

Ichigo stepped forward and said, "You're counting me in to the equation aren't you."

"Ah Berry-kun wants to help out his friend." Mashiro teased.

"Shut up Mashiro," Kensei growled, "if he wants to help then all the better."

Ichigo nodded at the Vizard and then turned to look at the scene playing out before him.

Ulquiorra shed the last of the restraints and began to stand. Orihime couldn't help but gasp again as she caught sight of him. A mask had begun to form around his face, and as he stood at his full height she noticed a hole open up in his chest. White liquid began to pour forth from the hole and harden around his chest.

"Sixty minutes, no more, or it's all for nothing." Shinji said. Turning to Hachi he yelled, "Open it up."

A doorway of sorts appeared in the barrier and Shinji stepped inside. It immediately sealed behind him. He looked at Ulquiorra and grinned.

"Let's see if you've got what it takes." He said.

Ulquiorra turned to him and a howl escaped his throat. He immediately lunged for the Vizard trying to grab his throat. Shinji easily dodged his attack and then with his back still turned towards the former Espada, shot his arm back striking Ulquiorra between the shoulder blades with his elbow. The blow caused the teen to stumble forward, but he still kept on his feet.

Shinji turned quickly and staring at him remarked, "Still no zanpakuto. This is interesting; makes the fight a little more fun I guess."

Ulquiorra came at him again. The hollowfication seemed to be happening quickly to Orihime. Shinji had mentioned that Ulquiorra had an hour, but if things kept up at this pace she figured he had far less time until he completely hollowfied.

"Shit!" Kensei exclaimed from somewhere nearby. "This is happening way too fast."

"What do mean by that?" Ichigo asked.

"No one hollowfied at this rate."

"So he's losing."

"Maybe it's something else." Urahara said as he came to stand beside Ichigo. "He wasn't just an ordinary hollow. Maybe this is just a part of the process for him."

"You mean there could be more?" Hiyori yelled.

"Well it would make sense…"

"Stupid dick head!" she yelled as she kicked him hard in the shin. "Maybe you should have said something before we started this."

"I wasn't sure, but I guess there's no turning back now."

"Damn it!" she yelled as she lunged for him again.

Ichigo caught her before she did any damage.

"Attacking him isn't going to make a difference Hiyori." A girl wearing a school uniform said. Pushing her glasses towards the bridge of her nose she turned and watched the fight taking place within the barrier. "This just changes how we approach this."

She paused for a moment as she thought it through and then said, "I give him twenty minutes tops before he's completely hollow, then we made need to double up to take on whatever comes at us."

"His release." Ichigo said to no one in particular.

"Release?" Hiyori asked.

"Yeah, each of the Espada had a release form. But if he goes into that we could be in trouble."

"Great, so now we gotta fight him at full strength." She mumbled.

"Yeah," Ichigo said and then laughed nervously.

"Something funny?" Kensei asked.

"No not really. It's just that Ulquiorra didn't just have one release from."

"Shit!" Hiyori said.

"So I take it you've seen both of these forms?" The other girl asked.

"Yeah." He simply replied.

"In Hueco Mundo."

Ichigo nodded and then said, "There's more."

"Crap Ichigo, isn't this enough?" Hiyori complained.

"Aizen wouldn't allow him to release while under the dome of Las Noches. He said the power alone would destroy the dome."

"Damn it!" Hiyori yelled again as her fist connected with Ichigo's face. Wasting no time she turned her aggressions on Urahara as well landing a punch before Love pulled her back.

"Stupid Fuck! You had us start this knowing full well what he was capable of." She spat towards Urahara.

Rubbing his jaw he smiled awkwardly and said, "I wasn't sure if his release would come into play."

"Well it looks like it is." Kensei yelled.

"Yes, it does look that way." He replied.

"_Yes it does look that way_." Hiyori mimicked him. "Is that all you have to say?"

"I guess I agree with Yadomaru-san. You will need to double up from that point on."

"Augh!" Hiyori yelled.

The Vizards continued to argue with Urahara, but she turned her attention back to Ulquiorra. If they were worried about fighting his hollow out here, she couldn't even begin to imagine what Ulquiorra was facing where ever he was.

* * *

"It is interesting that you should choose this place as your inner world." The creature before him said solemnly.

"My inner world?" he asked as he tried desperately to stall for time. His mind was racing as he tried to come up with a plan to defeat his hollow.

"Yes your inner world. This is where I live. This is where your soul resides. Interesting that it is here in the desert of Hueco Mundo."

"It does not seem so odd to me." He replied. "Most of my life was spent here."

"And yet now that you are among the living again your soul still resides in such a place."

"I do not see why that should matter."

"But it does matter. You come to this place to fight me, yet you are not on as familiar ground as you may think. Things have changed for you Daisuke and you are completely unaware. You think you are a match for me, but you do not even posses a zanpakuto. Do you know why that is?"

He stared at the hollow for a moment. It was very obvious to him why he did not possess a zanpakuto.

"Because you are Murcielago." He replied.

The creature seemed pleased by his response.

"Then you understand why this battle is hopeless for you. I am the embodiment of all of your power. Without me you are as weak and pathetic as all the other humans." As he took a step towards him the creature continued. "It is completely unacceptable that you should be the one in control when you are no better than the rest of the trash that populates the World of the Living."

"Your reasoning is flawed. Your existence is just an aspect of who I am…"

"It is you who are mistaken." Murcielago yelled as he lashed out, backhanding Ulquiorra and sending him flying through the air.

He landed hard several feet away. As he tried to recover, the hollow appeared directly above him. Placing a foot on his chest he looked down and hissed, "I am not an aspect of your personality, Daisuke, I am you."

"You are a hollow."

"I am what lies in your heart when your humanity is stripped away! I have always been there, even during your previous existence. Search your memories and you know I speak the truth. I was born from your tortured existence, and nurtured by your despair. Hollowfication only gave me a means in which to physically manifest my power."

"That cannot be true." He replied softly.

The hollow stepped back and stared at him.

"You know it is, but if you insist on deluding yourself my battle is as good as won."

He leapt to his feet and exclaimed, "I will not allow that!"

"You are in no position to make demands." Murcielago shot back. "I can see your mind frantically trying figure out your next more. Deciding what is the best approach to defeat me, but it will do you no good. You cannot take me as you are."

"Then I suppose I will need to change." He replied.

"There is not enough time for that. If your time living amongst the humans has not brought about that change, your pathetically short time here will be of little consequence."

With that he brought his hands together.

"Lanza del Relámpago"

The familiar weapon began to form as he separated his hands. When completed the hollow held it in his right hand and pointed it towards Ulquiorra.

"I will destroy you Daisuke, and when I am finished I will come for the woman. I feel that I owe her a rather painful death after all she has done to me, and there will be no one left to stop me. Not even her precious Kurosaki will be able save her this time."

No, he had promised to protect her. He couldn't let this hollow defeat him. But what was he to do? How could it be done? Without a weapon he was defenseless.

"Is that fear Daisuke?" the creature taunted him. "Has the reality of the situation finally struck you? Do you now understand just how futile this whole situation is?"

He stared back at Murcielago. He understood fear. He had grappled with it ever since he regained his humanity. Yet fear would do him no good right now. It was a useless emotion.

"I will find a way to defeat you." He cried out.

The hollow drew his brows together and a scowl appeared on his face.

"You are stubborn. Why is that that you humans cannot simply admit that you are so inferior?"

He remained silent, but braced for the assault that he sensed was coming.

"You try my patience just like the rest of them." The creature raised his hand and yelled, "Enough Daisuke. I will make you understand."

With that he lashed out with the weapon in his hand. Ulquiorra put up his arms in self defense. The effort would be futile he reasoned. He did not possess the strength to deflect it, yet he had to try.

The force of the blow slammed his body to the ground with enough force to knock the air from his lungs, but through all the pain he realized one thing, he was alive. He looked at his arms and saw the ragged bloody mess created by the strike, but he could still move them. He could still fight.

The hollow approached. Surprise was evident on his face as he said, "So you have a little more power than I thought. This will make for an interesting fight, but in the end the result will still be the same. I will defeat you, and all those that you care about will die as well.

Again he came at Ulquiorra, but this time he felt a new sense of confidence. He did have power and whether it was enough or not, he was not going to give up without a fight.

_

* * *

_

Suddenly everything changed. Instead of the desert sands of Hueco Mundo he stood in the lush field of his family's farm right before harvest. A soft breeze blew and he could smell the clean air, heavy with the scent of new life, engulf him.

_What was the meaning of this? Why was he here? The battle in Hueco Mundo- was it still waging on without him consciously participating?_

_"What's wrong Daisuke? Lost as to why you are here?"_

_That voice. He knew that voice and after all he had experienced over the last few months, he longed to hear it again. He turned slowly and came face to face with his father. This man though was not the sickly man he knew at the end of his life, but a young, healthy man in the prime of his life. Still it struck him just how young his father had been when he died. Now, as they stood staring at each other, he realized that the man was not that much older than himself._

_"Chichi?" he whispered._

_His father smiled and said, "You sound so surprised. Is it really that odd to see me here?"_

_"You are dead." He replied._

_"As are you."_

_A part of him wanted to argue that, but he understood the truth behind the words. Daisuke had died centuries earlier. This man who was his father had known a child much different than the one who stood before him now. Still he couldn't help but feel a longing within him to reach and embrace this man tightly; to surrender to the comfort only a parent could give in such a difficult time as this._

_"You are looking for reassurance." His father said._

_"I am confused…"_

_"It's okay to ask for my help. There is no weakness in admitting that you are afraid."_

_"I cannot afford to feel fear."_

_"You can't afford to deny the fact that you do feel it either."_

_"That creature could destroy me."_

_"It is not strong enough." _

_"You do not know what you are talking about."_

_"It is you who do not know what you are talking about." His father said. A wistful smile appeared on his face. "You are such a bright boy. You were as my son, and you became even more as Ulquiorra, but you only deal in facts. By doing so you are not seeing the complete picture."_

_"The complete picture?" he asked skeptically._

_"You have a strength that you do not even realize, that you are only beginning to understand. But there was a time, when you were younger, that you knew it. You thrived because of it."_

_"Then tell me what this strength is?"_

_"As a parent I want to give you the answers, but it is best that you figure this out on your own."_

_"This is not the time for self discovery!" he yelled. "I am facing a creature with the ability to crush me with one strike."_

_"But it hasn't crushed you has it?"_

_He paused and thought about that. His survival of the attack earlier was impossible. He should have been obliterated, but yet he wasn't. _

_"It does not make sense." He whispered._

_"That is because your life has become clouded by lies. The truth has become obscured. Your power is hidden from you, yet on a subconscious level you can access it."_

_"You are speaking in riddles. The only lie I know of was the one woven by my grandmother. Her lies destroyed my life."_

_His father took a step forward. Reaching out his hand he placed it on Ulquiorra's shoulder and said softly, "You have to stop thinking in terms of tangible knowledge. That which you see clearly is not going to give you the answers you seek."_

_He stepped back and brushed his father's hand aside._

_"You are of no help to me. If you understand what I need to do, then why will you not tell me?"_

_His father's face fell and sadness etched its way onto his features. Before Ulquiorra's eyes the man began to change. His body began to waste away. His hair began to thin and his skin became sallow. Dark rings appeared under his eyes and his breathing became labored. _

_"I would spend an eternity in such a state," he rasped, "if it meant I could give you that answer, but I cannot."_

_This time it was he who reached out to give comfort. He placed his hand on his father's shoulder and then without thought, pulled him into a tight embrace._

_"I am afraid, Chichi. I am so afraid." He said in all honesty._

_"Then you are beginning to understand." He wheezed. "The answer is within you. Clear your mind of the lies. Do not allow him to lead you astray, and the answer will come."_

* * *

He was once again in Hueco Mundo. It would seem that time had stood still in his absence, but it did not stop the creature before him from charging his way. It swung with the lance at his head, but he dodged it. His reflexes were far superior to what they had been in his human form, and he suspected that all of his spiritual energy was not in fact wrapped up in the hollow attacking him.

"Whatever strength you have will not be enough." The creature taunted. "You were too weak to defeat me before; you will not be able to defeat me now. This is futile. I will crush you, and then I will destroy all those you care about, just as I did centuries ago."

"_Clear your mind of the lies. Do not allow him to lead you astray, and the answer will come."_

He stared at Murcielago. He understood what was happening. He had used the same tactic with Kurosaki; in fact with all opponents he had fought in the past. Their despair was much more fulfilling then their actual defeat. He had always known he was the superior in any battle he fought, but that rush that came from consuming a soul who had lost all hope, was what he most desired. He could not allow himself to give into that feeling of hopeless.

Suddenly he began to see what his father was getting at. The despair he had felt as a child kept him a slave to his grandmother's will. It had made him believe that he was weak, but in reality he was strong. A weaker person would have walked away from the fight, yet he had endured tremendous loss, for his mother's sake.

He understood now that despair was a lie. It robbed one of hope, but there could not be life without hope. Regardless of the circumstance there was always a solution, no matter how unpalatable it was.

If he could withstand Murcielago's taunts, then maybe he could turn the tables on this fight.

_

* * *

_

"You are one stupid fuck." A voice resonated through the desert. "You think you are so smart, but you really don't have a clue. Do you really think this is all about hope and despair?"

_He turned towards the voice, but he knew who it belonged too._

_"Surprised to see me? Bet I'm the last person you'd expect to see on this little introspective journey."_

_"Grimmjow." He hissed._

_The Espada grinned his usual cocky grin and then said, "You're only playing with half the deck. If you go into this fight like that you will have your head handed to you Asshole."_

_"And you are going to enlighten me as to what I am doing wrong?"_

_Grimmjow laughed, "Bet that's gotta really piss you off."_

* * *

Love stood panting before the hollow that Ulquiorra had become. True to Lisa's predictions the process had taken only twenty minutes. The hollowfication appeared complete when suddenly Ulquiorra's spiritual pressure increased dramatically. As it was released, the energy began to fall around him like rain. The mask around his face began to crack and fall away, as did the hard shell and fur that had covered his body. The skeletal wings that had grown from his back began to take on a more fleshy appearance and his skin became like it had appeared in Hueco Mundo, human, but deceptively so. Though his appearance had become more like theirs, she knew this was not a good sign.

"Fuck!" Ikkaku growled.

"Is this part of the plan?" Yumichika whispered.

"Hachi increase the barrier strength." Shinji yelled. "Love get out of there." He then turned to Kensei and Mashiro. "Let's go in two's for now, but don't do anything stupid. If he's too strong we will have to end this earlier than we allotted for."

Orihime tried to ignore the implication in Shinji's words. Ulquiorra could do this; he had to. As Kensei and Mashiro entered the barrier, hollow masks already in place, Shinji turned to Ichigo.

"So this is his release?"

"The first."

"Still no zanpakuto."

"He doesn't need one." Ichigo stated.

All eyes were on the battle before them. Ulquiorra formed a javelin like weapon from his spiritual energy. Ichigo was right. The zanpakuto was of little consequence any more. He was quite capable without it.

That feeling of hopelessness began to overwhelm her again. They had not bargained for this when it had started. Just how much could the Vizards withstand? She thought back to the final battle atop Las Noches. Ichigo had become something inhuman in order to defeat Ulquiorra. Would this battle require something just as horrific?

No, she would not allow it. He had told her to stay out of this, but if it looked as if he would die, she would not sit on the sidelines cowering in fear as she had done in Hueco Mundo. She would fight for him, even if she had to defy his orders. She loved him too much not too.

* * *

**A.N. **I am a little leery about the next few chapters only because I know some people get really sensitive to canon and don't like errors of any kind. I hope this is as close to canon as I could get, without duplicating Ichigo's transformation. To me it would make sense that Murcielago would attack at full strength and Ulquiorra would deflect it to a degree or else there would really be no battle.

Hope everyone reading enjoyed this. Let me know what you thought.


	28. Chapter 28

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._**

* * *

******

Chapter 28

_The scenery shifted once again and he found himself facing Grimmjow atop the remains of the tower in which they had last fought each other in Las Noches. Why was this happening to him? His father he could understand, but Grimmjow? What possible insights to his current dilemma could the idiot possess? He was confused, but he was also angry, incredibly angry. He was running out of time and now he would have to waste what little was left to him in a battle of wits with an insane moron._

_"Oh yeah you're pissed!" Grimmjow taunted. "I can see it all over your face. You're probably wondering why it's me and not some brainiac like Szayel or some head case like Tosen." He paused as a grin spread even wider across his face. "Insulting isn't it, to get stuck with someone like me instead."_

_He gave no response. Grimmjow was pathetically easy to read. He was baiting him, and would continue to do so until he got a rise out of him, but he was in no mood for an altercation with the Espada. _

_"Come on Ulquiorra admit it." He continued as he began to pace in a circle around him. "You think you're so smart, and so powerful, but I could crush you in an instant if I wanted to. You're nothing now."_

_"This is a waste of my time." He said. "You cannot possibly have anything of real importance to say to me. As usual you just want a fight."_

_"Hah, like you would even be worth it now!" He spat venomously. "Honestly how can you stand yourself like this? You're as pathetic and weak as the rest of them. Human," he began to laugh, "human. Of all the ways that bitch could have gotten back at you she sure picked the cruelest one."_

_"Do not speak about Orihime in such terms." He said finally succumbing to the taunts._

_Grimmjow narrowed his eyes and brought his face close to Ulquiorra's._

_He backed up a step and said, "What are you doing?"_

_Grimmjow straightened and said flippantly, "Just looking for the ring."_

_He stared blankly in reply._

_"You know the one in your nose, the one she leads you around with."_

_He couldn't help but sigh and say under his breath, "Idiot."_

_For some reason that made Grimmjow laugh even harder. He walked a few paces away from him and then turning said, "So here we are back where I kicked your ass the last time we met."_

_"You did no such thing."_

_"Hey I won."_

_"You cheated."_

_"I outsmarted you."_

_"It was all part of Aizen's plan…"_

_"Fuck Aizen!" Grimmjow spat. "And fuck his plan. You act like he was some sort of god, but he was nothing more than a pompous asshole."_

_"He was a genius."_

_"Asshole!"_

_"He got what he needed from you, did he not?"_

_"Huh?" Grimmjow asked. The smug look faltered for the first time since their reunion._

_"You brought Kurosaki to a new level in his abilities. That is what Aizen desired. He wanted to see how far the boy could progress."_

_"So you shoving your hand through his chest, was that part of his plan too?"_

_He paused for a moment and then answered, "I pushed him as far as he could go. Though he showed some promise it wasn't enough to save himself."_

_"Bullshit! You just wanted to deprive me of my prey."_

_He sighed again. There was no use trying to hold a conversation with the Espada. He never listened._

_"I got the girl to heal him though. Pretty clever if I say so myself."_

_"And you do not think that Aizen anticipated that as well."_

_"Shut up about Aizen. Maybe you should have been fucking him instead of the girl…"_

_He reacted with lightening quick speed. Rushing forward he slammed his fist hard across the Espada's jaw. Grimmjow stumbled back a few feet and then caught himself. Looking directly at Ulquiorra he rubbed his jaw and then turning to the side spit blood mixed with saliva. _

_A grin lit his face, "So I finally succeeded in getting a reaction from you." _

"_This is ridiculous."_

_Grimmjow laughed and said, "You know I had to threaten the girl to get a reaction from Kurosaki as well."_

_He couldn't help but stiffen at the Espada's remark. This brought an even bigger grin to his face. _

"_It took firing off a Gran Rey Cero at her to get him to finally pull out that hollow mask and fight at full strength." Looking somewhat wistful he continued, "Now that was a beautiful thing."_

_Ulquiorra though couldn't help but become incensed by the Espada's words. Gran Rey Cero was forbidden in Las Noches. His reckless behavior could have destroyed the dome and infringed on Aizen's plan for creating the King's Key. Even more upsetting to him now was the fact that Grimmjow could have easily killed Orihime in his attempt to goad Ichigo into battle._

"_He deflected it with his Zanpakuto, but he had to put on the mask to do it. And then," he paused to laugh again, "He tried to keep the girl from seeing it. Why be ashamed? I mean all that power and he was worried that it might scare her."_

_More likely Ichigo was afraid of what she would think of him like that. He knew that the teen had tried to keep his darker side from his friends. Understanding the situation better now he knew how terrifying it would have been for Orihime. She admired Ichigo, loved him even. To see him transform into what she distrusted and feared the most would be very traumatic. _

"_So you are proud of the fact that you managed to get him to engage you at full strength. Are you forgetting that in the end he destroyed you?" He couldn't help but ask the Espada._

"_He destroyed you as well." Grimmjow shot back._

_He remained silent at his remark. What happened atop Las Noches had become a somewhat taboo subject after Orihime's breakdown in the Karate Club room a month earlier. It wasn't a conscious effort on their part; it just wasn't talked about anymore. The whole incident held painful memories for all of them and it was better left in the past. But that wouldn't matter to someone like Grimmjow. In fact it would be one more thing to belittle him for now._

"_Still smarts doesn't it?" Grimmjow taunted. "For someone like you who gets off on being superior and all, it had to suck to have your ass handed to you like that, especially by a human."_

"_And you do not feel Hollows are superior to humans or Shinigami?"_

"_I never said they weren't, but I really don't care about that crap. For me it was always about the fight; always about the victory. To hell with all that cerebral bullshit you like to spout. The thrill is in crushing your opponent."_

"_But there is no point to fighting someone who is weaker than you. It is nothing but a waste of effort."_

"_So why did you fight him then?"_

"_I saw potential. His abilities grew tremendously with each battle. I thought he would be worth the effort."_

"_But you underestimated him."_

"_I did not anticipate his hollow self to be so strong. It would seem that that part of him understood how to control all that reiatsu and use it to its full potential. Once he surrendered to it he became too powerful to defeat."_

"_So why'd he surrender? Ever figure that out."_

_He looked away. _

"_It was the girl wasn't it? He did it for her?"_

_He remained silent._

"_So noble of him, not like you or me. Either one of us would have killed her in a heartbeat, especially if it meant gaining the advantage."_

_He turned back and glared at Grimmjow. He did not need reminders of his past as a hollow._

_This only caused Grimmjow to laugh harder at him. "You know I always figured you to be a pussy, but now it's just pathetic." He stepped forward and rapped Ulquiorra on the head with his knuckles. "Come on, you're supposed to be so smart. Why'd he do it?"_

"_You just said he did it for the girl."_

"_But why? Come on Ulquiorra you have to know this."_

"_The heart."_

"_The heart? I could pull that thing right of his chest and he would have still been human, dead, but human. Don't think so literally."_

"_Orihime said that it was the human heart that bonded her to her friends. It was the reason she was unafraid to face death alone. She felt a connection as if they were one."_

"_Sounds like a load of crap to me." Grimmjow stated. "So this warm, fuzzy load of shit, this is what you think drove the kid and helped him defeat us."_

"_I believe that is so." He replied and then after giving it some thought asked, "So are you implying that all I need to do is fight with my heart and I will defeat this hollow?"_

_Grimmjow stared at him solemnly for a moment and then burst out laughing so hard he had to grab his sides to keep from hurting._

"_I thought you were supposed to be here to help me." He replied annoyed at the Espada's actions._

"_I never said such a thing. You assumed I was going to help you."_

_The anger and frustration overwhelmed him and he quickly reached out and grabbed Grimmjow by the neck, effectively choking him._

"_I do not have time for your games."_

_Releasing his grip he threw the Espada to the ground._

"_What I don't understand," Grimmjow said after he caught his breath, "Is why you would even want to be human."_

"_I wouldn't expect you to understand." He replied._

_Grimmjow's jovial disposition changed and he stood abruptly and stepped towards him. With his lips curled back in a snarl he said, "You just continue to act so high and mighty Ulquiorra, but I know you are fucked! You understand that; completely fucked. You will never figure this out in time. And then you're gonna revert back to what you were; only you won't be you anymore."_

_He turned away not wanting to listen any longer. Grimmjow though refused to have any of that. He grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and yanked him back around._

"_You got that shithead! You can never go back. Hollows that lose their power get consumed by greater hollows. " Bringing his face up close to Ulquiorra's he continued, "You are going to disappear 'cos you're too much of snob to really listen."_

* * *

Once again he was back on the desert plain of Hueco Mundo. Murcielago stood facing him, his arm pulled back ready to strike. Shocked by the recent conversation with Grimmjow and then finding himself about to be cut in half by the javelin in the creature's grasp, he quickly jumped out of the way of the attack through pure instinct.

"You should keep yourself focused Daisuke." It said in a calm voice.

He stared at the creature as he tried to catch his breath and calm himself. He felt no closer to an answer than he had before he met with Grimmjow, still he couldn't help but wonder if the heart was the key. With his thoughts elsewhere he failed to notice Murcielago's tail as it lashed out at him, striking him on the side of his head.

"I told you to stay focused Daisuke." The creature stated again.

He rose to his feet only to have to avoid another attack by the creature's tail.

"Much better." It said. "So I suppose you still believe you can find a way to defeat me?"

"You are not infallible. Kurosaki defeated you before…"

"Defeated us; without you I am much more powerful. I can think more clearly. Your foolish fascination with the humans destroyed us. You should have killed him before he had the chance to tap into his power."

Once again it came back to Ichigo's hollow. Why would Kurosaki abandon himself to his hollow if he despised it so much? Was it the human heart that compelled him to risk everything for the sake of his friends and their safety? Yet in the end he had almost destroyed them all. Uryu was alive only because of Orihime's power of event rejection.

None of it made sense to him. Though he had begun to open himself to the emotions that he had fought for so long, he still did not completely understand the human heart, or how it could help him now.

Murcielago came at him again, swinging his weapon at Ulquiorra's head. He ducked and moved away, but he knew that he couldn't continue to dodge his attacks forever. But what was he to do? He couldn't launch an offensive attack, or even dare to absorb the force of a strike like Ichigo had. More so he had no powers to tap into even if he understood the heart better. His power stood before him in physical form.

"It would seem you have no plan." The creature said. "I am the stronger of us and now I will take control, and all will be as it should."

"No!" he yelled as he charged at Murcielago. He had no thought other than to stop this from happening.

He barely got within striking distance before the creature swung at him again with the javelin. This time though the weapon connected with his flesh as Murcielago cut a path from his left hip across his body to his right shoulder. Pain surged through his body from the injury and he fell to his knees. Blood poured from the wound and he thought in a detached way that he was going to die. He looked up into the face of the demon he had lived with for most of his life.

"You are dying." It stated in a matter of fact way. "No one is coming to save you Daisuke. You will die alone once again, just as you did centuries before. Does that bother you? Do you now see how foolish you were to try and contain me?"

He stared at the creature and then in a hoarse whisper he said, "Ulquiorra,"

Murcielago's brows drew together in obvious confusion.

"My name… is …Ulq…ui…orra." He gasped.

"Whatever name you choose you are still going to die alone."

"_You're not alone anymore Ulquiorra. I'm here. Urahara-san, Kurosaki-kun, we're all here for you."_

Orihime's words from earlier that day came back to him. Could it be possible he wondered. The bond that she had spoken of back in Las Noches, could it really apply to him?

As he began to sway in and out of consciousness he whispered, "Not alone… this time I can see that…" He grew quiet as he struggled to breathe. After a moment he continued, "The… heart…"

Murcielago stared down at him, and then wrapped his tail around Ulquiorra's throat. Slowly he lifted him until his feet were several feet above the desert sand. Raising his hand he traced a circle on Ulquiorra's chest with one of his nails.

"The heart," the creature began, "If I pull it from your chest will I see it?"

Ulquiorra's eyes began to roll back into his head as he struggled to stay alive.

"No, I do not believe it will be of any use to you any longer. Better to just do away with it for good."

With that the creature began to charge a cero. Pointing his finger at Ulquiorra's chest he released the blast, and with it came darkness.

* * *

The Vizards battled Ulquiorra with everything they had. Shinji had amended his earlier decision to send two at a time. Instead they had placed four inside the barrier and had begrudgingly included the Shinigami in the equation. She stood beside Rangiku, Captain Hitsugaya, Renji, and Ichigo. The four were about to head in when suddenly the air around them became heavy as Ulquiorra's reiatsu began to change again. A dark heavy pressure bore down on them and she found it hard to breath. He was changing again which meant that Ulquiorra was running out of time.

She heard Shinji yell, "Hachi open the barrier and get them out of there!"

A door opened in the barrier surrounding Ulquiorra and Mashiro, Hiyori, Ikkaku, and Yumichika stumbled out.

"Damn it, what the hell is going on now!" Hiyori yelled.

"Looks like we're about to see his final release." Shinji said.

They all stared at the place where Ulquiorra stood. As the dust and debris began to clear the Vizards and Shinigami got their first sight of him at his full strength.

"Shit!" Renji exclaimed from beside her.

"I don't know about this Ichigo." Shinji began. "I hate to say it but I think your friend has lost this battle."

"No I think we still have time." Ichigo responded.

"Time or no time it's all the same." Kensei started. "We are going to have to fight him with everything we have. Chances are good that he's not going to make it."

As the Shinigami and Vizards argued back and forth with Ichigo, she felt a panic begin to rise within her. They had given up. Whether he had time or not, they were prepared to kill Ulquiorra.

Silently she walked towards the barrier. They may have given up, but she hadn't. Ulquiorra was still alive, she knew it, and she also knew that she had to buy him time to defeat that hollow.

She gazed over at Hachi. Sweat poured down his face as he struggled to maintain the barrier. Behind her she could hear her friends arguing about Ulquiorra's fate. Without hesitating she seized her opportunity and slipped through the barrier. She had made it several feet in before Hachi caught sight of her and yelled to the others.

"Damn it Inoue get out of there!" Ichigo yelled.

She kept walking ignoring him and the others. Her eyes were fixed on Ulquiorra. She was still a distance from him when he caught sight of her. His stare was intense, but she sensed that it wasn't Ulquiorra looking at her. This creature in front of her was something else. Still she had to try. She had to get through to him.

"Ulquiorra," She yelled at the hollow. "Please, fight this. You have to hold on. Don't let it defeat you."

The hollow that he had become drew back. Its brows drew together as if he was trying to figure something out.

"Ulquiorra, please, I believe in you. Please hold on…"

The hollow began to frown and then lifted its finger pointing it in her direction. She stared in shock as the familiar cero began to form at its tip.

"Inoue!" She heard Ichigo scream again. "Get the hell out of there!"

But there was no time for that.

"Please Ulquiorra." She whispered. "Please don't."

The hollow released the cero in an instant. There was no time to think. No time to hope that Ichigo would save her.

"Santen Kesshun, I reject!"

The force of the cero was crushing. A few months earlier she would have never survived, but she was different now, more determined. She had relied on Ichigo in Hueco Mundo and it had nearly destroyed him. It was time to stand on her own. She put all her strength and concentration into the shield, and as the cero blast ended she relaxed her stance and stood.

The hollow before her drew a javelin from reiatsu and prepared to attack again. It was at the moment that Ichigo appeared before her. Raising Zangetsu he held off the strike. From behind her she felt strong arms reach out and hook around her shoulders, dragging her away from the fight.

She grabbed at the arms of her assailant and yelled, "Let me go! I have to save him."

"It's too late."

Rangiku; it was Rangiku who was holding her.

"No it's not too late. Please…"

"Orihime he tried to kill you. That thing is not Ulquiorra anymore."

She struggled again, this time more violently.

"You have to release me. I have to help him."

"I'm sorry Orihime, truly I am." Her friend replied.

"No!" She cried as she violently gripped Rangiku's arms. Turning to face the hollow that Ulquiorra had become she screamed, "Fight against it Ulquiorra! Don't let it win!"

"Orihime we need to get out of here."

She continued to strain against Rangiku until finally she broke free. Running back towards the battle she cried out, "He's still alive; I know he is."

Captain Hitsugaya and Renji had joined Ichigo as he battled the hollow. In this form Ulquiorra had seemed invincible atop Las Noches. Now engaged with three powerful opponents, all with Bankai, the hollow seemed to falter. He was not at full strength. Somehow she knew that, and if he wasn't completely whole, then it meant Ulquiorra must still be holding on to life.

Ichigo deflected another hit and Renji followed quickly with an attack from Zabimaru, now in Bankai. The strike knocked Ulquiorra back. He remained on his feet, but he was panting heavily, blood trickling down his face, his wings torn in segments.

Once again she cried out to him, "Ulquiorra! Ulquiorra I know you're still fighting. I know you're alive. Please hold on…"

Ichigo stepped in front of her.

"Inoue this is no place for you."

"This exactly the place for me. This is where I should be, by his side…"

"He is not human any longer."

"No you're wrong. I can sense him. I know he's there."

The creature lunged forward, and catching Ichigo off guard pushed him out of the way. Standing only inches away it stared at her again.

* * *

Darkness; utter and complete darkness engulfed him.

He was cold and alone.

Despair began to seep into his heart.

It was useless.

He could not defeat Murcielago.

"_Ulquiorra, please fight this. You have to hold on. Don't let it defeat you."_

Orihime?

"_Ulquiorra, please, I believe in you. Please hold on."_

Impossible.

How could she be here?

How could he hear her; sense her presence?

And then…danger, she was in danger.

He struggled against the darkness.

He had to do something, but it was hard to think; hard to focus.

Pain.

Disappointment.

Frustration.

"_Ulquiorra! Ulquiorra I know you're still fighting. I know you're alive. Please hold on…"_

He had to get to her. He had to find a way back.

* * *

"Why are you not afraid of me woman?" The hollow spoke to her.

"Ulquiorra?" She whispered.

Ever since the hollowfication began Ulquiorra had not uttered a word. Could it really be him? The hollow before her only stared silently waiting for her reply.

"I could never be afraid of you." She began. "I trust you." And then another whisper, barely audible this time, "I love you."

The hollow that was Ulquiorra looked puzzled by her words.

"Love is a foolish emotion," he responded. "In the end you will die and your love will have done you no good."

She understood, rather painfully that this was not Ulquiorra. Still if she could reason with it maybe, just maybe, the part that was Ulquiorra would regain control.

"That's not true." She replied. "My love for Ulquiorra has made me stronger…"

"Your love for him has only made him weak and pathetic." He stepped back and raised the weapon in his hand, "Love will not save you…"

As he swung at her Rangiku slipped through the opening he created and with Haineko extended, blocked the attack.

"Orihime run!" she yelled, eyes still focused on the hollow before her.

"Your friends are as foolish as you." The hollow said as he quickly disarmed Rangiku and pushed her roughly aside.

Stepping forward until his face was again inches from hers he said, "I could rip out your heart before you even realized what was happening."

"That may be true," she said quietly, "But it would not diminish my love for Ulquiorra…"

"You will die!" the hollow yelled, "Does that not terrify you?"

She felt the tears stream down her face, but she held firm. Staring into the hollow's eyes she said, "I know he is still alive…"

"You are a fool."

"I can hope…"

The hollow drew back as if she had slapped him. His face turned to a scowl. Raising the weapon again he said, "There is no such thing."

* * *

"_I could never be afraid of you. I trust you. I love you."_

Love?

Could she truly love him?

The heart.

It had to be the heart.

The key was in the heart.

"_My love for Ulquiorra has made me stronger…"_

No not the heart.

Grimmjow was right, he could rip it from his chest and he would still be human.

"_You are a fool Kurosaki Ichigo. You challenge an opponent whose strength terrifies you and think that you can win. It is beyond my comprehension. If it is due to what you Humans call a 'heart', it is because of that heart that you suffer injuries and it is because of that heart that you will lose your life."_

Suddenly it all made sense to him and he realized that he had never truly understood it all this time.

It was not the heart, but what the heart contained.

It was the accumulation of life's experiences, the joys and the sorrows, that gave humans the will to fight when there was no chance to win.

Life held no guarantees. Love always came with risks.

He had suffered much in his life before, but he had also known love; the unconditional love of his parents.

It was what had carried him through even at the lowest moments of his life. His grandmother and all her manipulations could never take that away from him.

And now he had Orihime's love.

He had Uryu, his family at Urahara's, and even Ichigo.

He could love and enjoy friendships, and he could do so without regrets or fear.

He could have faith in those around him, even when times seemed at their darkest.

"_I can hope…"_

Yes, hope.

Despair was the absence of hope.

Hope would always crush despair.

Hope.

"I understand."

* * *

His eyes that moments earlier were lifeless began to focus again. He brought his head up and looked directly into the creatures eyes.

"I know how to defeat you," he rasped.

A warm feeling spread across his body as it began to heal itself. The hole in his chest from the cero blast began to fill and as he flexed his hands he felt something else. Looking at his right hand he saw the hit of his Zanpakuto materialize.

The tail that wrapped around his neck began to disappear and he fell to his feet. Rising he faced Murcielago and said, "The human heart gives us the ability to hope. Despair is a lie that, if we believe, will eventually rob us of everything. Hope though is the one truth. It enables us to go on even in the face of utter destruction."

"I am stronger than that," the creature hissed. "I destroyed Kurosaki and all his hope did nothing to stop that from happening."

"His will to live, his desire to protect Orihime, was stronger than you."

"It was the animal that was his hollow…"

"No it was something more. And in the end it was his humanity that prevented him from becoming something less."

"Humanity." The creature spat.

It wings began to turn to ash.

"The human heart will bring you nothing but pain."

"Pain, sorrow, and much more, but it will also bring me joy and love…"

"You are pathetic."

More and more of the creature began to turn to ash. All the while his Zanpakuto began to take shape.

"You will not be able to contain me forever. I am a part of you. One day you will feel despair, and in the moment that you give into it, even in the slightest, I will be there, and I will destroy you."

He remained silent in reply watching as Murcielago dissolved from his physical form and once again resided within his Zanpakuto.

Before he completely disappeared he said, "You cannot cast me aside forever."

He understood that. He was opening himself to all the emotions that came with being human. He understood the risk involved, but for the first time in an eternity he was willing to chance it.

* * *

Orihime faced the hollow understanding that she was about to die. It glared at her and brought the weapon forward only to stop midway through. Its eyes opened wide in surprise as the weapon disintegrated.

"No!" It hissed. "Impossible."

And then it too began to dissolve into ash. It was as if she had been transported to Hueco Mundo again. The horror of those moments atop the dome of Las Noches came back to her in a painful wave. She lunged for Ulquiorra's hollow, but it quickly eroded into a swirling mass of ash.

Falling to her knees she covered her face in her hands and wept. She couldn't lose him like this again, especially now that she loved him. Around her the world grew silent. She sensed Hachi's barrier disintegrate and understood that the threat was gone. She began to sob hysterically as she realized the finality of it all.

Suddenly she felt a hand gently touch the top of her head.

"Why are you crying woman?"

She looked up and gasped.

"Ulquiorra?"

He looked exhausted.

"Did you not believe that I would succeed?"

She smiled then and jumped to her feet quickly, knocking his hand that had been resting on her head aside. Reaching out she grabbed him tightly in a hug, unintentionally pinning his hands to his side.

"I cannot breathe." He whispered.

"Oh yeah, sorry." She said as she released him.

Stepping back slightly she took a good look at him. His clothes had changed to the uniform that he wore back in Las Noches and his face once again bore the green colored tear stains that ran down his cheeks. Frantically she unzipped his coat to examine his chest.

"Orihime, I do not think this is the place or the time…"

"I'm looking for the hollow hole."

"What?"

"The hollow hole. You look like you did in Las Noches, except for the remains of your hollow mask, but I had to be sure…"

"I am human." He stated.

Placing her hand against the warm flesh above his sternum she smiled, "Yes you are."

He pressed forward slightly and closed his eyes. Preparing for the kiss she assumed was coming, she was surprised when instead she felt the full force of his weight upon her.

"Ulquiorra?" she asked and then stumbled back under his weight. Unable to brace herself she fell rather embarrassingly on her bottom. He followed suit crashing into her, completely unconscious.

"Geez honey you've got to work on those landings."

"Rangiku?" she asked as her friend knelt down beside her. Her hair was disheveled and her face bruised, but other than that she appeared unharmed.

Ichigo reached down and lifted Ulquiorra from her, laying him down on the ground beside her.

"I'm surprised he lasted that long." Shinji said as he approached them. Looking down at Ulquiorra's right hand he said, "Well would you look at that? He finally got a Zanpakuto."

Orihime looked down to see Ulquiorra's right hand firmly clenched around the sword.

"Looks like he beat that thing." Shinji remarked.

"Thanks to Orihime." Rangiku said and then winked at her.

"So I guess we can start training now." Shinji laughed.

"Training?" Ulquiorra moaned from beside her. His eyes remained shut.

"Defeating your hollow was only part of it. Now the fun really begins." Shinji replied.

"That was fun?" he rasped.

"Well it definitely got the adrenaline pumping." Shinji replied.

"Maybe you should give him a few minutes." Ichigo said.

"There you go coddling him again," Hiyori interrupted. "If he could contain that thing that we were fighting he can get up and train."

"Actually training will have to wait," Captain Hitsugaya said. "Before this began we made a deal. I kept to my end, now its time to keep yours."

All eyes turned toward the young captain. Ulquiorra slowly sat up as well. In all the struggles of the last hour she had completely forgotten that defeating his hollow was only part of the battle. The Soul Society awaited him now. In her heart she wondered if they may be even more merciless than his hollow.

* * *

**A.N. **A few things about this chapter:

(1) I had a hard time getting Grimmjow to stop taunting Ulquiorra and get to the point! I enjoyed writing him though and I hope it turned out enjoyable for all.

(2) A big thanks to **Sylvertongue**! You were right about a lot of things, and I had actually forgotten about Ichigo's battle with Zangetsu, and going back to it was a good reference. That said I thought your review was more eloquent that anything I wrote here and I even included some of your words as a tribute of sorts for the inspiration in Ulquiorra's Aha! moment.

(3) I wasn't sure about Ulquiorra's physical appearance at the end, but it has a little to do with the being hollow before - not shinigami.

(4) One thing that drives me crazy is Ichigo popping out of his body for extended periods of time and not using Kon. What happens to his body? Anyways I kind of fell into that trap here with Ulquiorra, but I am thinking of addressing it in the next chapter. After all he has to be in spirit form to go to Soul Society.

With that said sorry about the delay. I am currently potty training a toddler, getting little sleep, and then I recently lost a friend rather unexpectedly this past week. In fact it was her death that inspired me to get off my ass and accomplish a few things I had been avoiding. Not that I was avoiding this chapter, but it was a bear to write.

Also I was bad about responding to people, but I really appreciated all the reviews and will try harder this time to answer questions when posed!

Thanks to all who did review. Hope this was worth the wait.


	29. Chapter 29

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._

**Chapter 29**

"Would anyone like to explain what the hell is going on here?" Uryu asked as they made their way from the warehouse back into the light of day.

"This doesn't concern you." Captain Hitsugaya said coldly as he came to an abrupt halt.

"I beg to differ." The Quincy bit out angrily. Looking to Ulquiorra he continued, "Something went down here. I felt a tremendous amount of spiritual pressure and then nothing. I can only hope that you acted on my advice, but _their_ presence makes me think it was a little too late."

Ulquiorra stared at his friend. The ordeal of controlling his hollow had left him physically and mentally stressed. Orihime and Ichigo had already lodged their protests over handing him over to the Soul Society while still in the Vizards underground training area. He honestly did not think he had the stamina to deal with Uryu.

"You are a very astute person." He said quietly. "I think you know perfectly well what we are dealing with here, so do as the Captain says and let it go."

"Let it go?" he practically yelled. "Look around you. Soul Society sends a captain, two lieutenants, and three other Shinigami to bring you back. They are obviously taking the threat of your existence very seriously."

"There is nothing you can do…"

"Bullshit!" he exclaimed. "And don't think Soul Society doesn't know that. We've taken them on before, we can do it again."

"This is different." He replied softly.

"No it's not. We went to Soul society to rescue a friend from death." He said and then took a calming breath. "Your situation is just as serious. Do you think we would just leave you to their mercy?"

A few days ago he would have been pleased by Uryu's words, but today, in light of all that had happened he could only see the consequences of such emotional talk. He refused to have them put their lives on the line for him. He understood all too well the strength the Soul Society possessed. The only reason they had survived their last trip there had been due to the fact that Aizen had plunged the entire Seireitei into chaos.

He took a step closer to his friend and said coldly, "You are an arrogant fool, Ishida Uryu. Do you honestly believe that a being with the power I possess requires your puny abilities to protect me? I am not like the woman. I do not need my friends to rescue me to feel important or valued; least of all by a Quincy. Your kind barely even survived their extermination at the hands of the Soul Society…"

His words had the desired effect as Uryu lunged forward and punched him hard in the gut. The force caused him to drop to his knees. Behind him he heard Orihime cry out, but he was aware that Urahara held her from rushing to his side.

"Shut up!" Uryu yelled. "Just shut your mouth."

Rising slowly to his feet he said, "You were all so easy to manipulate; the woman in Hueco Mundo and the rest of you here. I admit adapting to your world was a little difficult at first, but it only aided me in getting what I needed. Ever since I came here I have been looking for a way to get back my power, and you and your friends were all too willing to help me."

"You're lying." Uryu said harshly.

"I never lie." He replied. Turning to Captain Hitsugaya he said, "Shall we go? I find this emotional display rather annoying."

The Shinigami surrounded him quietly. The only sound he could hear was Orihime's soft sobbing. He refused to turn around. Any weakness on his part would give him away. He understood how stubborn they could be. If he could not convince them that he had used them all, then they would come after him. That was something he would not tolerate.

The captain opened the Senkaimon and slowly entered. The rest followed with him in tow. He thought ruefully, his soul was finally making its journey to the Soul Society. Funny, it was regrets and ties to the World of the Living that transformed him into a hollow all those years ago. Yet now he carried even greater regrets and was bound even more strongly to this world.

He understood that he may never see them again. The Soul Society would not be lenient. They needed someone to shoulder the blame. Who better than an abomination like himself? A hollow who had no right to a heart; no right to the love he had been given so freely.

This was the only way he could return their kindness. He would not drag them into this. He would protect Orihime with his life. It had been an eternity since he had received such unconditional love from another. He would not let her suffer because of that.

* * *

The doors closed and the Senkaimon disappeared. Orihime could barely breathe. Her chest was heavy, the pain in her heart threatened to rip it into a thousand pieces.

"He didn't have to do that." She whispered.

"Eh?" Ichigo asked.

"He was lying." Uryu spoke up.

"You didn't seem to think so a minute ago." Ichigo replied.

"He has a way of pressing people's buttons." Orihime interjected.

"You could say that." Uryu added. "He caught me off guard. Still it was obvious that he was distancing himself for a reason."

"He's trying to protect us." Orihime started. "Back in Hueco Mundo he taunted me mercilessly when I thought Sado-kun had died. He couldn't understand why I wasn't angry at my friends for coming to rescue me. He felt that you guys shouldn't have rushed in to save me without assessing your chances of surviving first."

"Yeah but we won." Ichigo said.

"We did have help Ichigo." Uryu said. "As much as I hate Kurotsuchi, Renji and I would have died if he hadn't shown up."

"Facing the Soul Society will not as easy this time around." Urahara interrupted. "They are well aware of your strengths and weaknesses."

"So are just saying that we should stand back and let them judge him?" Ichigo asked amazed. "They're not going to be easy on him."

"You never know." Urahara started.

"I have to agree with Ichigo." Uryu said. "I think Ulquiorra needs our help."

"And if you succeed?" Urahara asked. "Then what? Where do you go? Do you spend the rest of your lives hiding?"

"You've done a pretty good job of it." Uryu replied.

"Well I do possess a certain talent for it." The Shinigami answered. "But I also spent years forming contacts. I know the ins and outs of Rukongai. Staying out of the way of the Gotei Thirteen is not so hard for me."

She could tell Uryu was frustrated by Urahara's words. Clenching his hands tightly at his sides he said, "I thought you cared about Ulquiorra. Doesn't this bother you in the least?"

Urahara's expression became very serious as he said, "I didn't say I wouldn't help. I just wanted to make sure that you understood the implications of your actions if you choose to go after him. Ulquiorra made it pretty clear how he felt. Do you really want to go against his wishes?"

"He doesn't understand," Orihime began. "He's trying to keep us from getting hurt, but he doesn't realize that the pain from doing nothing would be even worse."

"True." Urahara said. "After all he is a little new to the idea of having friends that care about him."

"If only there was a way we could just tell Captain Yamamoto about the changes he's made and how he's not their enemy anymore…"

"Inoue it's not like we can just call up Yamamoto and ask if we can come over for a friendly chat…"

"Maybe not." Urahara said as a sly smile lit his face. "But I think Inoue-san is on to something. In fact I believe I may be able to get you into the Seireitei without using force at all."

"Care to enlighten us?" Uryu asked.

"I think I will see what I can do first." He answered. "You three get your rest. When I am ready for you I will let you know."

As exhausted as she was, she didn't think rest would possible.

"Urahara-san." She asked. "Do you think it would be okay if I came back to the shop with you? I don't really want to be alone right now."

The Shinigami smiled gently at her and replied, "Of course you can Inoue-san."

"I'll keep you company Neesan!" came a voice from behind her.

Uryu looked at Ichigo and said, "You didn't!"

"I had no choice. We needed to place a gikongan in his body and he was the only soul available."

She turned to see Kon running in her direction, his soul inhabiting Ulquiorra's body. His arms were outstretched as he prepared to grab her. Ichigo stepped forward and knocked Kon away before he could make contact.

"No fair." He said. "Neesan is in need of comfort. As her boyfriend…"

"You are not her boyfriend." Uryu yelled. He turned to Urahara, "Do something about this."

The Shinigami shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"You heard Ichigo. For now this will have to do. At least until we get back to the shop."

"Hey no fair." Kon whined. "I finally get out for some fresh air, only to find myself in the body of my precious Hime-chan's boyfriend, a body that has probably already tasted the glory of her bounty…"

Ichigo slammed him to the ground and held him down. Bringing his face up close to Kon's he said, "Shut up you sick pervert. You are to stay away from her. Do you understand?"

"But I just want to comfort…"

Ichigo ground Kon's face into the pavement.

"I said shut up!"

"Ah Ichigo," she interrupted. "That's still Ulquiorra's body. Could you be a little more careful with it?"

"Yeah be careful…" Kon mumbled.

"I can always pull you back out and give you to Kurotsuchi." He threatened.

"No, please. I'll be good. I promise."

"One inappropriate touch…"

"None at all."

"We just can't leave him unsupervised." Uryu said.

"You volunteering?" Ichigo asked.

Uryu shook his head.

"He will be fine with us." Urahara said. "I am sure that Tessai will be able to keep him busy enough. At least until you leave for Soul Society."

"I don't know about that." Uryu said.

"Trust me." Urahara said. "Besides Ulquiorra does not strike me as the type of guy that likes to share what is his. If he finds out that Kon took advantage of Inoue-san, he will crush him himself."

Kon gulped and said, "I'll behave. Just don't let him get me."

"Problem solved." Urahara smiled. "Now let's get going and see if what we can do to help Ulquiorra."

Ichigo let Kon up. They headed back to the shop. She was hopeful that Urahara would figure something out. He had to. Ulquiorra's very existence depended on it.

* * *

Ulquiorra was exhausted, hungry, and incredibly irritated. Two days had passed since he had arrived in the soul society and he had yet to see anything but the inside of his prison cell. Captain Hitsugaya had insisted that they were to leave immediately from the World of the Living, not willing to listen to any argument to the contrary. Yet upon his arrival in the Soul Society he had been imprisoned in a cell and forced to wait as all the captains were gathered before he was finally brought to stand trial.

Though he had been physically and mentally exhausted after his ordeal with Murcielago, he had been unable to sleep for any length of time. His mind raced with all the possible scenarios that could play out once his trial began. Not only would he be held accountable for his part in the Winter War, but he knew his newfound humanity would also be questioned. Defending himself would be a formidable task in itself, but protecting Orihime from possible scrutiny seemed almost impossible.

Still he would need to remain calm and rational if he wanted any chance of surviving this. Not only would he face Captain Yamamoto, but the entire Captain's Council as well.

Behind him he heard the door to the room that housed his cell open. He continued to stare straight ahead, ignoring whoever was approaching.

"Well, well, not even curious as to whom your visitor is?"

He remained silent.

"Refusing your meals. Not the best strategy if you ask me, though very human in nature. Interesting, very interesting indeed."

He turned and looked at this new intruder. He was greeted by a very odd looking man. His face was hidden behind what looked like a mask, but on closer inspection he could see that that was not the case.

"Aah so you have decided to honor me with your attention."

He noticed the white haori and realized that this was one of the captains. Why was this man here now? Wasn't he supposed to come before the entire Captains Council, not individuals?

"Amazing, I must say. When I heard that they had detected an Espada living in Karakura Town I was excited. It was rather disappointing that none had survived the war. I so much more prefer to work on live subjects."

He was too tired to mask his features. The revulsion he felt at the Shinigami's words must have shown on his face.

"Does that bother you? Another surprising twist. I was told that The Fourth was a rather unemotional fellow. Not that hollows can have feelings, but here you are showing disgust. I have to say that this just fascinates me even more. I had heard that you were living as a human, but I never would have believed that you would be able to mimic them so well."

He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. This captain was making it hard for him to think rationally. Anger threatened to push him into saying something that he would regret later.

The captain stepped closer to the bars of his cell and continued. "I hear that you no longer posses a hollow hole, or a mask remnant. In fact it is rumored that you have gained a heart. I find that difficult to believe, but believe me it will be the first thing I look for when I cut you open…"

"Captain Kurotsuchi," Came a voice from the doorway. "I was under the impression that this prisoner was to have no visitors."

Kurotsuchi turned to the door and spat angrily, "How dare you interrupt me while I am interviewing my latest test subject, Lieutenant Abarai."

"I didn't now that Captain Yamamoto had given you permission for such a thing…"

"You arrogant little brat! Don't you dare come in here and tell me what I can or cannot do."

Abarai moved aside and another captain entered the room from behind him.

"Captain Kuchiki." Kurotsuchi said unable to hide his contempt.

"The Captains Council has been scheduled for tomorrow. I do not believe that I need to remind you that this prisoner will need to be in one piece for the trial."

Kurotsuchi looked at the two Shinigami and then said flippantly, "I don't suppose it will hinder my research too much if I have to wait one more day. I am after all a patient man."

With that passed by them and left. Ulquiorra stood stunned by what had transpired. As if facing the Captains Council was not enough, he now had to worry about this abomination of a captain cutting him to pieces regardless of the outcome.

He looked to Captain Kuchiki. The Shinigami stared back at him hauntingly and, then without saying another word, turned and left.

Renji stood for a moment and then walked closer to his cell.

"I know what you were doing back in Karakura Town." He said.

He grew confused and said, "What I was doing?"

Abarai smiled slightly and said, "Rukia did the same thing when we came to bring her back to face her execution last summer."

"I do not understand." He replied.

"You think by saying those things you did before you left that you can keep them from coming for you. But I have news for you; it won't work. Even now they're probably planning something."

"That would be a foolish waste of their time…"

"Cut the crap. I was there. I saw what you went through to contain that hollow. And I know that you never used them, least of all Inoue-san, to regain your powers. If I could see through the bullshit, they will too."

He stepped back and turned to leave. As he reached the door he turned back and said, "No one believed that they could save Rukia, but they did. Don't underestimate them. They may be your best chance of surviving this intact."

And with that he left to catch up with his captain. Ulquiorra stared into the empty space he had just occupied. The last thing he wanted was for them to risk their lives for him. It was foolish. Still he couldn't help cling to that human notion of hope. It had after all been enough to defeat Murcielago, and now it seemed the only weapon left to him.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

First off let me apologize for the long abscence. I can't even begin to explain this block, but it was driving me crazy. This story has ben on my mind ever since my last update months ago, but I just couldn't make it come together. I have attempted it four times before I finally got this to the point where I feel good about submitting it.

I never intended to go to the Soul Society. I kind of planned to write an overview, but it seemed like many readers desired something more, and I realized that it compromised the story if I just skimmed over it. Still I couldn't quite figure out what to write. And then the Central 46 being revived in the manga threw me because I didn't even want to go there. So I found what I believe to be a pluasible loophole and am trying to push forward from there.

I hope you enjoyed it. I will go back over the remnants of my previous attempts at the trial and try to get back on track.

Thanks to all who have stuck with this and kept pushing me to continue. It is becuase of you that I sat my butt down and got back to finishing it.


	30. Chapter 30

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters._

* * *

**Chapter Thirty**

He silently waited as his Shinigami escorts opened the doors and brought him inside the chambers. He was led to the center of the room, the captains positioned on either side of him with Captain Yamamoto standing at the head. The Shinigami escorts were dismissed.

Yamamoto stood silently staring at him for a few moments and then said, "So this is Aizen's Fourth."

His gaze seemed to pierce Ulquiorra to his very soul, but he refused to look away. The last thing he wanted to appear was weak.

"Ulquiorra Cifer, Fourth Espada in Sosuke Aizen's Arrancar Army, you have been called here to defend yourself for your actions in the Winter War. As Captain Commander of the Gotei Thirteen I have been given authority by the Central 46 to try you and punish you accordingly. Do you understand what I am saying?"

He restrained himself from replying flippantly to Yamamoto's arrogant tone. Calming himself he simply replied, "Yes."

The old man stood silent a moment longer, his gaze just as intense as before.

"Good then let us proceed." He said.

Ulquiorra braced himself for what was to come, but was completely taken by surprise by the Shinigami's next words.

"I will start by saying all of this could have been avoided if you had only remained in Hueco Mundo."

He couldn't help reacting physically to Yamamoto's statement. His brows knit together in confusion and his lips turned down into a frown.

"Hollows have no business in the World of the Living. If you understood your place you would have been left to continue your existence without our interference." He said angrily. "Hueco Mundo and what occurs within it is not our concern. It is only when Hollows cross the lines that separate our worlds that we are duty bound to act. Your existence as a hollow is not an issue here, but your actions during the Winter War, actions that cost the lives of hundreds of souls in Karakura Town are."

"I do not see the logic in what you are saying," he responded. "My actions as a hollow were acceptable as long as they did not affect the World of the Living and subsequently Soul society?"

"Hollows cannibalizing each other, struggling for power and control is of no consequence…"

"How arrogant and cruel…" He began but stopped as the air around him grew dense and the reiatsu began to surge. It was foolish of him to speak in such a confrontational tone in the presence of so many powerful Shinigami, but he could not seem to stop himself.

"You are the arrogant one child!" yelled one of the captains; Komamura if he remembered right. The supposed friend of Tosen; the one that looked like a fox.

"Now Komamura relax," interrupted another captain; Kyoraku. The man was obviously not bothered by anything going on around him. With a sakkat on his head and a pink kimono draped over his shoulders, he looked very out of place amongst his peers. "The boy is just speaking his mind. He can't help it if he comes across as disrespectful. He is after all fighting for his life. That can be a little stressful; tends to bring out the base character in anybody."

Komamura grit his teeth, his hand on the hilt of his zanpakuto, but remained silent.

"Please continue your rant." The Kyoraku said as he turned his gaze his way; a smile lit his face.

His anger rose at the implication that he was no more than a spoiled child having a temper tantrum. He held his tongue as he tried to collect himself.

Yamamoto's booming voice broke the silence as he said gruffly, "Please do continue boy. We all would like to hear you extol the virtues of hollows."

"You do not understand." He said a little softer this time. "You cannot begin to understand the intense need to consume souls or the emptiness that is that existence."

"So it was this need that drove you to join forces with Aizen? Or was it the power that he offered you as an Arrancar?" Yamamoto asked in reply.

He stared at the old man and then turned his gaze to the others assembled.

"It was the nothingness of my existence that led me to accept Aizen's offer. The void that was my life left me with no purpose other than to exist. Aizen offered me something besides that life. I could live for him and his desires, and it was something tangible that I could grasp, so I took it."

"Well that would make sense." A rather frail, white haired captain, Ukitake, said. "Aizen did know how to manipulate others by saying what they most wanted to hear. I do not think it would have been any different with hollows."

"The kid's not a victim here," a rather large captain interrupted. Zaraki, the one that existed to fight; Tosen had told him much about this man, none of it flattering. "Aizen offered him more power, plain and simple."

"I agree," Kurotsuchi piped in. "This depressing little adolescent explanation is nothing more than an attempt to play to our emotions."

"Not that that would work on you." Kyoraku said with a grin.

"None of this is of any consequence," Captain Kuchiki spoke softly. "The boy accepted Aizen's offer. Let us not lose sight of the fact that he was an Espada. The fact that he appears before is now, a child bemoaning his previous existence, does not change that fact."

He couldn't help but bristle at Kuchiki's condescending remarks.

"I am not a child," he bit out. "And I do not regret my decision to follow Aizen. I am merely trying to explain my reasons."

"Regardless," Yamamoto bellowed, "You followed him and you carried out many of his orders. Your appearance back in September alone caused the deaths of hundreds of people within Karakura Town."

"I was not responsible for that debacle. If it had been up to me I would have entered the World of the Living alone and unseen. I was simply there to gather information and take action if Kurosaki Ichigo was deemed a viable threat to Aizen's plans. As it was he had been a great disappointment. Executing him was unnecessary."

The Captain Commander's expression darkened slightly and he wondered if his words had somehow offended him. He had thought that facts were all the Captain Commander wanted from him. Was he looking for him to feel bad about his actions?

"Yet you did nothing?" Yamamoto said.

He couldn't help but looked confused.

"Nothing?" he asked.

"While your fellow Espada killed all those people, you stood by and allowed it to happen."

"I was not responsible for him. Besides they were only human souls. Why should that have been of any importance outside of the disruption it brought to the secrecy of our mission?"

"Still feel sorry for the brat Ukitake?" Captain Zaraki grumbled.

The white haired captain gave no response.

Realizing that he was not helping his current situation he tried to clarify his statement.

"We are speaking about my visit to the World of the Living while still a Hollow. The life of one human or one thousand made little difference to me at that time…"

"So you admit that you have little value for human life?" Kurotsuchi spoke up with a note of excitement in his voice.

"And you do?" He asked feeling his irritation getting the better of him. "Do not pretend that it was concern for the well being of the citizens of Karakura Town that spurned Soul Society into action."

"Silence!" This came from Yamamoto.

"I will not be silent. You sit in judgment of me, yet you regard the humans just as callously. The only reason you displaced those people was to prevent Aizen from forming the King's Key. Otherwise their deaths would have been of little consequence."

"Disrespectful little brat." Komamura yelled. "You have the audacity to stand here and lecture us? You, who as a hollow took countless numbers of human souls, would know little of valuing human life."

"Captain Komamura has a point." Yamamoto said.

"As do I." he couldn't help but shoot back. "You stand here and talk about the virtues of the Soul society, but just a few days ago you were willing to sit back and watch myself and another human, a human that befriended and aided your fellow comrades, attacked and almost killed just to prove a point."

Yamamoto grew silent. He seemed to ponder what to say.

"That is correct. The Shinigami were only there to gather information. They had strict orders not to act unless completely necessary."

"Necessary?" he asked amazed. "I almost bled to death and Keigo barely escaped with his life."

"We had to be certain that you were who we thought." Yamamoto replied.

Standing with his fists clenched tightly he tried to control his anger but it was too fresh.

"I had no way to defend myself against such a creature. I could only try to hold it off until help arrived. Little did I know that our help was there watching, watching yet doing nothing to assist us. You say you care about humans. You don't care. If you cared you would have made protecting us the priority. How does your excuse differ from mine? I did not stop Yammy from consuming those souls because it was not part of my mission. You failed to protect us because it would have interfered with yours."

"Do not compare us to Hollows!" Yamamoto bellowed.

"I don't see much of a difference when it comes down to human souls." He shouted back.

The room grew silent at his accusation. The Captain Commander kept his eyes focused on him for a few minutes longer and then took a few steps forward. Bringing his face within inches of Ulquiorra's he said in a deadly quiet voice, "Your honesty will get you killed. Your life hangs in our hands and you stand here judging us?"

"I value my life too much not to." He replied.

Yamamoto straightened and stepped back.

"Hollows do not value life." He said angrily.

"I am no longer a hollow." He whispered in reply.

"No longer a hollow?" Kurotsuchi asked. "Are you then admitting that you are now human, or are you something else?" Looking towards Yamamoto the captain continued, "This is why you should turn him over to me. The information I can gain from studying him will be far more beneficial to us than this attempt at so called justice."

"I believe we are here to decide the child's fate in a fair manner." A female captain spoke calmly; a faint smile lit her face. Unohana, the captain of the Fourth Division. He knew she was shrewd. Aizen had told him that she was one of the few to see through the illusions he created before he left Soul Society. "Justice is the most important aspect of this hearing, not turning him into a research subject to satiate your curiosity."

He could have sworn Kurotsuchi faltered for a moment; fear present in his eyes.

"Your supposed humanity is an abomination in itself." Yamamoto continued; nonplussed by the captains statements. "Hollows cannot become human. Your existence goes against all the laws that protect the balance of our worlds. That though is not my issue. Central 46 will deal with the person responsible in their own time."

He couldn't help but stiffen at the Captain Commander's remark.

In a whisper he said, "How I became human is of little consequence…"

"It is of great consequence to the council." Yamamoto cut him off. "Somehow the laws of natural and supernatural have been altered and someone is responsible."

He only stood silent, refusing to speak.

"Finally silence? You have no smart remarks to make? No accusations?" He grew silent, but his eyes never left Ulquiorra. Finally he spoke again, "The name of the one responsible for your newfound humanity may be your only bargaining tool at this point. Do you still wish to remain silent even if by doing so you will surely die?"

He would gladly go to his death before he would volunteer information that would condemn Orihime. Having survived his battle with Murcielago he now understood just how important she was to him and how much he owed her for giving him a second lease on life.

"I have information that leads me to believe it was Inoue Orihime." Yamamoto said softly.

"The woman is of no threat to you." He finally spoke. He could barely contain his rage as he bit the words out. "She only cares about protecting those closest to her. She has never used her powers for any other purpose than their welfare."

"Yet it would seem that she used them to restore your life…"

"I never said such a thing." He yelled.

"You are willing to risk your life defending that lie." Yamamoto replied.

"It is not a lie."

"Is that so?" he asked. "The girl has told me differently."

His eyes grew wide in surprise.

"You are the one lying." He whispered.

Behind him he could hear the gasps of several of the captains.

It was Ukitake that broke the uncomfortable silence with a simple observation. "In all my time in Soul Society I have never seen a hollow willing to risk its own existence to protect a human. I find that rather interesting."

He gave no response. Anything he said at this point would either condemn him or Orihime. Better that he bear the punishment alone.

Yamamoto stared at him a moment longer and then said, "More surprising is that a group of humans would risk their lives to save a hollow."

"I do not understand." He said.

"It would seem that your friends from Karakura Town have called in a few favors to get a chance to meet with me and fight for your life."

"That would be foolish." He replied stunned by what he was hearing.

"I would agree." The Captain Commander replied. "And yet they have braved Soul Society again, just for the chance to save you, a mere hollow."

"I do not believe you." He whispered.

It was too much to hear at this point. As much as he wanted to be angry that they had disregarded his wishes, he couldn't help but feel something else, something he was unable to name, but resembled almost relief that they had been concerned enough for him to come anyways.

Yamamoto stared at him as if he was weighing something in his mind. He then turned and nodded to his Lieutenant. The man disappeared for a moment and when he returned he was followed by Orihime. She timidly looked at the Captain Commander and then her eyes found him and she smiled.

He felt the room around him begin to sway and he closed his eyes against the rush of emotion. Never had anyone cared enough for him that they would have risked their life to save him. Most of his existence had been spent alone, shunned by others, until out of necessity he had rejected everything and everyone, just so he could push aside the pain and loneliness.

When he opened his eyes again he noticed a look of concern tempered with anxiety had replaced Orihime's smile. She opened her mouth to speak, but then shut it just as quickly, apparently unsure of what to say.

"I suppose seeing is believing for you." Yamamoto said.

"It does not change the fact that they should not have come." He said firmly.

He couldn't help but notice Orihime's expression darken and he knew that his words had angered her.

"We couldn't just leave you to die." She blurted out. "You do have a problem with being too blunt and even a little too honest for your own good."

He felt a heat begin to rise to his cheeks from the embarrassment her words caused him.

"So am supposed to lie to this council?" he shot back.

"No, but we figured that we needed to show Captain Yamamoto your good side as well, or the other captains might get the wrong impression."

"Ah how sweet. The Espada has a good side too." Captain Kurotsuchi said sarcastically. "I suppose Aizen had you all baking cookies and knitting sweaters when he wasn't trying to destroy life as we all know it."

"That's not what I meant." Orihime said in a rush. "It's just that Ulquiorra has changed since he started living in Karakura Town. He's not the same as he was during the Winter War and now that he has a heart…"

"Ah yes a heart," Kurotsuchi cut her off. "That would be the reason why you are here, girl. Are we to believe that you are responsible for his supposed humanity?"

She blushed as all eyes turned her way.

"I…well…I guess you could say…"

"The woman merely rejected my death." He interrupted her. "My humanity has nothing to do with anything she consciously did."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Kurotsuchi asked harshly.

He thought for a moment. What had he meant? The words had just come out of his mouth, but now that he thought about it the answer became very clear to him. For the past few months he had lived with the belief that she had made him human, but when he really examined it, that wasn't quite the case at all.

"She rejected my death." He started. "She intended to bring me back out of some misplaced notion of making things right. She resurrected my body, but the changes in me, the formation of my heart, had already taken place before she ever set her Shun Shun Rikka into motion."

She looked at him confused and he continued, never taking his eyes from hers.

"When you reached for me, in the end, before I died, I understood finally. All that you had been trying to get me to understand during your time in Aizen's possession, everything about the heart, it suddenly all made sense. I found my heart before I faded from existence. When you brought me back you may have wished for me to experience life as a human, with a heart, but mine was already there. I could not have reformed any other way than like this."

She smiled at his words and tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Please someone get me a tissue." Kurotsuchi began. "This story is so touching and sweet I may have to cry."

He turned glare at the Captain and said, "You asked for my reason and that is what I believe."

"A very convenient story if you ask me." Kurotsuchi replied. "It is obvious that you are merely trying to dismiss the girl's guilt."

"That would be curious in itself though." Captain Unohana said. "As a hollow he would have no need to concern himself with her well being. It is obviously to me that he is not like other hollows that we have seen."

"True," Yamamoto said softly. "It would seem to me that you are not a hollow any longer, yet you are not quite human either. Tell me boy, what exactly are you?"

He looked up confused.

"I do not understand what this has to do with my supposed crimes against the Soul Society?"

"I'm not looking for you to understand anything. I just want an honest answer."

"I do not know." He said truthfully. "I believed I was human, but now after all that has happened, I am not sure."

"Captain Hitsugaya briefed us of your battle with your hollow self. We are aware that you posses powers that are not human, yet in the same regard not quite Shinigami either."

"As I said I do not know."

Yamamoto turned again to his Lieutenant. The man revealed his zanpakuto, Murcielago.

"And what of the power you now control?" the old man asked. Taking Murcielago in his grasp he continued, "Shall I just destroy this and eliminate your source of power all together?"

"No!" he yelled. "You cannot do such a thing. Murcielago is a part of my soul if you destroy him you will destroy a part of who I am."

"The darkness and destructive power of your hollow self." Yamamoto said.

"No, it is not that simple," he pleaded. "He is a part of me. He resided in my soul long before I died. Hollowfication only gave him the means to take control of my soul. He no longer wields that power over me. I control him."

Yamamoto seemed to think about his answer for a moment.

"So would you consider yourself a Vizard? They did after all help you control this power."

"I was unable to test it once I had managed to contain it. I am not sure if I would manifest my hollow self in the same manner."

"Only one way to find out," Zaraki said. "Let me at him. A good fight, without restraints will tell us quickly just what we're dealing with."

"I do not think unleashing his power would be wise." Hitsugaya spoke up.

"You already had a chance at him." Zaraki said. "So why not let us see for ourselves."

"In my opinion he still possesses the strength of an Arrancar, and a very powerful one at that. Destroying that zanpakuto may be the best way of dealing with him. It would leave him powerless."

"This is ridiculous." Kurotsuchi spoke again. "You talk of justice but you would just as easily destroy a part of the boy's soul? Once again I say give him to me. My research would be far more humane than your suggestion."

Orihime gasped loudly at the Captain's words, and yelled out, "You can't do that!"

"Neither is an acceptable option." Zaraki interjected. "Give him to me. I'll let him demonstrate what he is capable of."

"Enough!" Yamamoto bellowed. "We have much to discuss before we come to any conclusion. Though dissecting him is not an acceptable solution." He said as he glanced at Kurotsuchi. "Destroying his zanpakuto may be the best course of action."

"No!" he yelled. "Let me fight Captain Zaraki if you must see my power. Decide then, but do not just destroy that part of me."

"Do you know what you are agreeing to?" Kyoraku asked with humor in his voice.

"I will do what I must. Surviving is all I know, or at least all I used to know." He said honestly. "Now I have much more at stake and I cannot stand here and let my fate be decided without fighting for what I want."

"More at stake?" the captain asked with a smile. "He sounds very human to me."

"It would make sense to evaluate his strength by engaging him in a fight." Captain Kuchiki suddenly spoke up. "We only have Captain Hitsugaya's report to go on. It would be better to make a decision based on direct observation by all of us."

Captain Zaraki began to grin wider as the other captains murmured their consent.

"So be it then." Captain Yamamoto declared. "We will resume this later this afternoon at the Eleventh Division Practice Grounds." He then looked at Ulquiorra and continued. "If you try something underhanded to escape I will end your existence myself."

He nodded silently. The captains were dismissed and he was left to wait for his escorts to bring him back to his cell. He looked up at Orihime who had stayed behind as well.

"I do not understand." He said softly. "I thought I made it clear that you were not to do anything reckless on my account."

"And I thought I made it clear that I wasn't going to leave you to face this alone." She replied.

"You could have been killed."

"Maybe so, but I couldn't just wait back in Karakura Town, hoping all would end well." She said as she drew closer to him.

"Where are the others?" he asked.

"They're waiting in another room nearby."

"I see." He replied.

Stepping even closer she reached out and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. He lifted his own arms and held her tightly against him, content to listen to the sound of her breathing, to feel the gentle hitch of her shoulders as she cried silently in the sanctuary of his arms.

"I was so worried about you." She finally said. "I couldn't bear the thought of you alone, with no one on your side, to face this. I know you didn't want me to come. I know you probably think it was foolish to face the Soul Society again, but you are too important to me to merely stand silently by and do nothing to help."

He gently rubbed her back and whispered, "It was foolish of me to demand such a thing of you."

"Really?" she asked surprised by his response.

He nodded his head and pulled back slightly so he could look into her eyes.

"Back in Hueco Mundo I spent much of my existence alone. I believed that if I had nothing, then I would have nothing to lose; that to me was happiness. But then I met you and I began to question everything about my beliefs. I did not even realize that I had changed until I reached out for you in those final moments. And when Aizen ordered me to kill you I could not do it. My happiness was no longer tied to the void that had existed in my heart for so long. And even though I was not sure exactly what it was anymore, I knew that the answer lay with you."

She smiled through her tears and asked, "With me?"

"Yes woman," he said and kissed her tenderly. "Is that so difficult for you to believe?"

She shook her head and her smile began to grow even larger.

"I guess it makes sense." She began. "After all I have also discovered the same thing in regards to you; funny huh?"

"How so?" he asked confused as always by her logic.

"Well considering how we met and then how you kidnapped me, well sort of, because if you go willingly it can't really be kidnapping, and then all the times you were so grouchy during my captivity, and of course there was the battle in the fifth tower…"

"I do not understand why I still seek clarification on such things with you." He interrupted.

"Because you can't help but love me." She giggled and then turned bright red as she realized just what she had said.

He stared at her intently for a moment and then said softly, "I suppose that would explain things."

Her expression changed and she began to speak in a rush, her hands moving wildly with excitement, "Do you mean that? Because I was just talking without thinking, but when you came out of your battle with your hollow I realized that I loved you and I couldn't go on if something happened to you, and I guess I just was hoping that you felt the same, because if not it would be pretty embarrassing…"

He cut her off with a kiss; this one harder and full of passion.

"How can I not love you," he began. "After all this heart that I now possess was created by you."

"But you said I didn't make your heart…"

"You shaped it." He said as he continued to gaze into her eyes. "You believed so strongly in it and in me. If you had not been so persistent in your words and actions, I would never have fully understood it."

He then pulled her close and holding her tightly whispered, "I had been alone for so long. No one cared about whether I lived or died, that was until you. Your tears, shed for me atop that dome, awakened in me a longing and a need to know love again, and the more time I spent with you as a human, the more I realized that the risks that came with following my heart would be worth it if it brought me even one moment of happiness with you."

She gripped him tighter and he could feel her tears once more as they soaked his shirt.

"I love you Ulquiorra." She whispered.

"My heart is yours." He replied softly. "It will always be so."

They stood in silence after that for a few minutes until a loud, yet awkward cough interrupted them. As they broke apart Ulquiorra turned and was greeted by a rather red faced Ikkaku and a grinning Yumichika.

"Well what have we walked into Ikkaku?" Yumichika asked in a teasing voice. "Do you two need a little more time alone?"

Ulquiorra couldn't help but bristle at the appearance of the two Shinigami.

"Hey you're still not upset about the other day are you?" Yumichika asked.

"I almost died…"

"Yeah but you didn't." Ikkaku interrupted. "So why don't you give it a rest."

"Give it a rest?"

"Look if the captain doesn't kill you this afternoon, we can go at it and settle this in a fair fight."

Ulquiorra remained silent; his response a simple glare.

"Anyways," Yumichika said. "We need to take you to a holding cell at the Eleventh Division grounds, until the fight."

He nodded his head, but Orihime clung tightly as he stepped forward.

"I don't like this plan. Captain Zaraki can be a little bloodthirsty."

"I am used to that." He said. "After all I lived a very long time with creatures even more bloodthirsty than him."

She tried to smile, but the anxiety was clear on her face.

He placed his hand against her cheek and said reassuringly, "I have something worth fighting for now, and I refuse to be defeated."

She simply nodded and then said, "If I can I will be there for you."

"That may not be wise." He replied.

"Wise or not I will not leave you alone in this." She said determinedly.

"I see." He said. "I will look for you there."

She smiled at that and he felt relief once more. The fight would be hard enough, and he questioned the wisdom of allowing her to witness such a thing. Still, in his newly formed heart, he couldn't help but believe her presence would give him a renewed strength and conviction as he faced the captain. He would survive this; it was his way. One battle at a time; Captain Zaraki and then the verdict of the rest.

He was unsure of which would be the harder fight, but he refused to go down in defeat. Orihime was too important to him now to lose her in such a way.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Glad to get this chapter done. It was started and stopped so many times, but the release of Unmasked helped to give me a little push further in the direction I wanted to go. I was nervous about the interactions of the captains as well, but the newest arc in the anime helped that along.

I hope it was enjoyable. Now on to writing a fight (AUGH! I hate writing fights - but with Uqluiorra it will be a little cerebral - lots to discover about himself).

Thank you to all who have stayed with this story and pushed me to continue. I hope to be able to give it the focus it and you deserve!


	31. Chapter 31

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Ulquiorra stood facing the Captain of the Eleventh Division, his breathing coming in harsh gasps. He couldn't understand why, but his strength was not as it should be. Zaraki's moves were easy enough to read, and because the man relied more on brute strength than brains, Ulquiorra had no trouble dodging most of his attacks. Still the constant onslaught was beginning to take its toll on his body.

"That can't be all you got kid," Zaraki taunted. "You were Aizen's fourth; where's that hollow we've been talking about?"

He simply stared blankly at the captain, unwilling to give away his own anxiety about his power. Because he had not trained with the Vizards, he was unsure of just how to bring forth his hollow. Having fought with Kurosaki, he had an idea of the basic mechanics, but that wasn't quite enough to bring on a transformation.

"You've got to bring forth your hollow mask," Kurosaki yelled from the sidelines where he stood along with Uryuu and Orihime.

Ulquiorra never took his eyes from Zaraki. If he could he would have shot a cero right at Ichigo for his rather stupidly obvious suggestion. Of course he had to bring out his hollow, but how did he do that? He tried to calm his thoughts and listen for Murcielago, but the hollow refused to give him any assistance.

"Damn it," he whispered. If an idiot like Kurosaki could call forth his hollow, why couldn't he? It made no sense. He was a much more spiritually aware being than Ichigo, yet in this he was as weak as a child.

"Well what you waiting for," Zaraki called out again. "You heard him, bring forth that mask. I'm getting bored waiting for it."

Angered by the captain's disrespectful jeers, he reached up and grabbed at the air surrounding his face. He focused on his own reiatsu and attempted to pull forth the energy of his hollow, yet nothing happened.

"What the hell Ulquiorra," Kurosaki yelled again. "Just do it already."

This time he took his eyes from his opponent to glare at the teen. Ichigo merely returned his steely gaze with an equally hard expression.

"Come on kid," Zaraki yelled. "Enough waiting, if you don't want to call it forth, maybe I'll be able to beat it out of you."

Ulquiorra returned his stare to the captain just as Zaraki made his way towards him once more. He raised his blade in time to counter the captain's attack, but the force of the blow sent him backwards several feet.

_You are pathetic Daisuke._

He straightened at the sound of Murcielago's voice. So you are listening, he thought.

_Why do you fight like a Vizard? You are not one of them._

"Then what am I?" he whispered in reply.

Zaraki prepared to strike once more. Ulquiorra braced himself for the attack as he tried to wrestle from his hollow the key to accessing its power.

_You know what you are. You just have blinded yourself to it._

Zaraki brought down his blade with punishing force. Ulquiorra fell to his knees, his breathing heavy.

"Shit," he gasped. He hated this. As Aizen's fourth he would have taken this captain down in one move, but in his current state he would be lucky to survive.

_You are not a Shinigami._

"I know that," his voice directed to the hollow.

"You know what?" Zaraki asked a huge grin on his face as he reached down to grab Ulquiorra by the collar. He lifted him off the ground and brought him eye level with himself. "Who are you talking to Espada?"

Espada.

He was once an Espada, but now he was unsure of what he was. He hated to admit it, but he was more like Kurosaki than any of the other humans he knew, and he was most definitely not a Shinigami.

Espada.

Could he still be an Espada? He had been human at one time, and then he became a hollow, rising to the rank of Vasto Lordes. He was one of the most powerful creatures in all of Hueco Mundo, and Aizen had chosen him to be his Fourth. He couldn't bring forth a mask like the Vizards because his hollow soul lay within his blade. His zanpakuto spirit was Murcielago, and like the Shinigami he despised, he would need to call him forth in much the same manner as they released their own zanpakutos.

_Now I believe you are beginning to understand._

Ulquiorra stared menacingly at Zaraki and said, "You are correct Shinigami. I am an Espada. I had merely just forgotten that fact."

Zaraki smiled as Ulquiorra raised his zanpakuto.

"I suggest you release me trash," his voice was cold, his eyes hard.

Zaraki laughed and let his grip slacken.

"It's about time," the captain said as he stood back and prepared for what was to come.

Ulquiorra pointed his katana at the captain and said, "I am not a Vizard. I am an Espada. That will never change. My years in Hueco Mundo will never be erased from my soul. They only serve to strengthen me. They make me who I am." With that he gripped his blade tightly and said, "Enclose Murcielago."

Suddenly the air grew thick as his reiatsu showered down upon those present to witness this fight. He would have smiled, had it been in his nature to do so, as the pleasure of regaining his strength buoyed him.

When the air cleared he looked at his opponent as he flexed his wings to their full length. His appearance was almost exactly as it had been in his release except he no longer possessed a hollow hole or mask fragments upon his head. He could feel his heart beating with life, and something else. A control that he had never felt before rushed through him. He, Ulquiorra was in charge this time, not Murcielago. He could call himself an Espada, but he was no longer at the mercy of his hollow. He no longer existed as such either.

His eyes focused on Zaraki. The captain stood grinning from ear to ear. Off to the side he heard a child's voice call out, "Oh Ken-chan's gonna have some fun now!"

Zaraki raised his zanpakuto and laughed, "Well he's definitely a lot prettier than that ugly thing we had to fight before we left Hueco Mundo, wouldn't you say Kuchiki?"

The captain of the Sixth Division remained silent.

"Ooh Ken-chan his dress is so beautiful!" the child's voice once more cried out with merriment.

"When I'm done Yachiru you can have a tea party with him," the captain taunted.

Ulquiorra ignored the exchange. Grasping at the air he formed a javelin out of spirit energy. Looking to Zaraki he said, "If you are finished, I will show you that I am not as easy to defeat as Yammy. As Aizen's Fourth I posses way more power."

"Promises, promises," Zaraki replied sarcastically. He charged at Ulquiorra and struck once more with his brute strength.

Ulquiorra met the blow with his own blade and struck back with enough force to send Zaraki flying across the battle arena. The man got back to his feet, and wiping blood from his mouth smiled and said, "Now this is getting fun."

He came at Ulquiorra again and again, each blow harsh and full of tremendous energy. The Shinigami was strong, but Ulquiorra was stronger. He deflected each blow until finally tiring from the monotony of it all, raised his leg and kicked the captain hard in the stomach. Zaraki went flying. The Shinigami lining the perimeter of the practice area began to flee as the huge man came barreling at them, finally crashing through the wall that separated the Eleventh Division grounds from the street beyond.

Murmurs rose from those surrounding him. He wondered just what the captains in attendance were thinking. They had wanted to see his strength, but now that they had, would they easily dismiss him and allow him to return to Karakura Town with his friends?

Zaraki emerged from the rubble and began to make his way back towards Ulquiorra. He sighed in exasperation. He was quickly tiring of this, but he knew that if he killed the man, he would be faced with the other captains' ire.

As Zaraki closed the distance, grin on his face and zanpakuto at the ready, Ulquiorra raised his own weapon and prepared to continue. Suddenly Yamamoto stood between them. With one hand he pushed the captain back with the sheer force of his spiritual energy. With the other he grabbed the javelin in Ulquiorra's hand.

"Stand down child," he said in a deathly quiet voice.

Ulquiorra stared at him.

"You would interfere with your captain's fight?" he asked. "You insult us both."

"I have seen quite enough," Yamamoto replied angry at Ulquiorra's arrogance. "I believe we do not need to see anymore to know just what we are dealing with."

Ulquiorra's eyes opened wide as he realized that his show of strength had more than likely condemned him. Behind Yamamoto he heard Zaraki complain, "Come on Old Man, it was finally getting interesting."

"This exercise is over," the Head Captain's voice was strong and absolute. "As I just said I have seen enough."

"So can I have him delivered to my lab before you execute him?" Kurotsuchi spoke up from the sidelines.

Yamamoto ignored him. Looking at Ulquiorra he remarked, "Your strength, it is very dense, yet I felt only the slightest hint of darkness. In a way it reminded me of the vizards, but then again it was very different."

Ulquiorra remained silent unsure of what the captain was getting at or if the old man even desired a response from him.

"I suppose that was your release form?" he continued to question. Ulquiorra nodded his head. "And you posses another as well?" Once more he nodded. Yamamoto lowered his voice, "I get the impression that in this form you were holding back on your attacks; maybe even going easy on Captain Zaraki."

He continued his silence, but the Captain Commander was correct. After all, the last thing he needed to do was kill one of the captains.

Yamamoto held his stare and then said, almost as if talking to himself, "This gives us much to think about."

Ulquiorra wondered what he meant by that. In his heart he did not know how he was going to walk away from this without losing either his life or his freedom.

"One more question," Yamamoto spoke again. "If Aizen were still alive would you return to him?"

He looked at Yamamoto, and then to Orihime who stood beside Kurosaki and Ishida. Her face was tense, the expression one of anxiety. Still she managed a weak smile when he caught her eye.

Glancing back to Yamamoto he said honestly, "My loyalty lies with another. Aizen, and his empty promises, mean nothing to me anymore."

The old captain held his stare a moment more and then turning to his lieutenant said loud enough for all to hear, "Escort the humans to the Senkaimon, so that they may return to Karakura Town." This brought loud protests from Kurosaki and Ishida. Orihime remained silent, her expression growing severe. "The former Espada will return to his cell," Yamamoto continued unfazed, "You will hand over your zanpakuto now." He released his hold on the javelin.

Ulquiorra looked at the captain for a moment. To hand over Murcielago would leave him completely defenseless. Still, even with the power he possessed he understood that he would be unable to take on all the captains at once. The choice was cruelly decided for him. Allowing himself to return to his prerelease state, he handed over the zanpakuto as soon as it reformed.

Yamamoto took the katana and handed it to his lieutenant. He turned to the captains present and said loudly, "We will return to the council room tomorrow to discuss this matter in light of the present events."

With that he turned and walked away. Zaraki stood facing Ulquiorra, the grin still plastered on his face. "We will get a chance to do this again, and next time I will see it to the end."

Ulquiorra paid him no mind. Instead he looked towards Orihime understanding that this could be the last time he would ever see her. She smiled bravely at him, but he could see the tears falling from her eyes. Beside her Ishida and Kurosaki complained loudly at their Shinigami escorts.

This had not turned out as he had wished. His fate rested in the hands of the captains, and he had no idea what they would do.

* * *

Ulquiorra paced around the small confines of his cell. His adrenaline rush from the earlier fight had yet to dissipate. He hated this situation. No matter what he did he was effectively damned. The old feelings of despair began to creep back, but he quickly crushed them. The last thing he desired was to give in to that part of his soul ever again.

Behind him he heard the door to the room open, yet he refused to turn around. Most likely it was Kurotsuchi back to discuss his plans for Ulquiorra once the decision was made.

Soft footsteps approached his cell and then stopped. A loud, decidedly feminine sigh, sounded through the room as the owner sat rather unceremoniously down by the bars to his cell. The distinct clinking of glass as a bottle was placed on the cold stone floor beside her.

"Man this situation sucks," Lieutenant Matsumoto declared, followed by a rather loud slurp as she drank from the bottle she had brought with her.

He turned and stared incredulously at her. "Should you really be drinking while on duty?"

She sat with her back against the bars. Waving him off with her hand she declared, "I am off duty, thank you very much."

He continued to stare at her back, confused by her presence in his cell.

"Why are you here then?" he asked as he came a little closer to where she sat.

"Can't I share a glass of sake with a friend," she slurred slightly. "Well at least a friend's boyfriend?"

"I do not drink," he began, disgust in his voice.

"Maybe you should, Ulquiorra," she teased.

He grew concerned by her words and bridging the remaining distance between them, came to stand directly behind her.

"Do you have news from the Captain's Council?" he asked unable to mask his anxiety.

She patted the floor beside her and said, "Sit down and join me."

"I do not see…"

"Humor me," she interrupted. "I've never had the pleasure of drinking with a hollow before." She broke out into laughter, but continued nonetheless, "Though technically I can't call you that anymore."

"I am human," he stated angrily, not willing to move from his place.

"Human, hollow, human-hollow hybrid," she laughed louder. "Who really cares? Orihime trusts you, and you make her smile, so I trust you. I really don't give a crap about your past. I grew up in the seediest part of Rukongai. Reputations have a way of following you even when you wish you could escape them." He stared at her back as she took another long swig from the bottle. "Hell Gin made it to captain and some of the others still looked down on him as uneducated trash."

"You were a childhood friend of Captain Ichimaru," he stated remembering his research of the captains that accompanied Aizen to Hueco Mundo.

"Were you familiar with Gin?" she asked turning to look at him, her face hopeful.

"Captain Ichimaru was a difficult man for me to figure out," he began as he searched for the right words. "I just never had the need to spend any time with him."

She turned back around and sighed.

"Gin made people uncomfortable. He had this weird sense of humor," she tried to explain.

"I suppose you could call it that," he turned, placing his back to the bars, and slid down their length until he too sat on the floor. She took another drink from the bottle and then pushed it through the bars. He looked down, but refused to drink.

"Gin just dealt with things differently then most people," she reminisced as she laid her head against the cell. "His humor was all we had sometimes."

Ulquiorra did not understand this woman in the least. Cocking his head slightly to the side he pointed out, "Captain Ichimaru abandoned the Soul Society, and you as well, yet you still sound very attached to him. Aren't you angry? Don't you desire to see him punished for what he did?"

She was silent for a moment and he wondered if his words had offended her. Finally she whispered, "Gin was the only person who was willing to look beyond my past. He accepted me as I was, no questions asked." She leaned her head forward and her voice changed slightly as she fought to gain control. "I don't understand why he left like he did, and I may never know, but I believe he had his reasons. He had to because he swore to protect me and he was not the type to go back on a promise, not to me at least. Gin would not have let the rules of the Soul Society stand in his way if he felt it prevented him from achieving that end." A sight laugh escaped her lips, soft and remorseful. "A little like Orihime, don't ya think?"

He straightened at the comparison.

"How so?" he asked.

"Well she brought you back, when she knew it would cost her if the Soul Society found out."

"She does not always think things through before she acts," he reminded her.

Rangiku smiled and continued, "She did it because to her it was the right thing to do." And then her voice became serious, "Do you resent that she did that?"

He bowed his head forward as he thought back to that day.

"At first, but now I am grateful." Placing his head back against the bars once more, he picked up the bottle and took a tentative sip. The sake was strong and he gasped as it burned down his throat.

"Good stuff isn't it?" she teased.

"How can you drink this?" he grabbed his chest as the fire spread through his body.

"It's an acquired taste," she laughed. "Take another drink. You'll see; it'll go down a lot smoother."

He eyed the bottle skeptically, but gave it one more try. Remarkably she was right; it wasn't as bad as the first time.

"See," she stated smugly.

He placed the bottle down beside him and sat silent, allowing the warmth from the sake to flow. Looking out into the darkened cell he said softly, "I do not want to lose her."

"Hmmm?" she asked as she reached for the bottle he had discarded.

"Orihime," he elaborated. "I do not want to lose the life I have found in Karakura Town with her." He lowered his head, the sake loosened his lips and the words seemed to flow on their own. "I think I blew it today."

She slid the bottle between the bars once more, and this time he accepted it without hesitation. When he was finished he lowered the bottle and asked, "Do you know what it is like to be hungry?"

She laughed ruefully, "I am very familiar with hunger."

"Then maybe you can understand what it was like, to be hollow, to desire to fill a need that could never be met, no matter how hard you tried."

* * *

Outside the door to the room that housed Ulquiorra's cell stood Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku. The were silent, listening so intently through the barely opened door, that they missed the approach of a third captain.

"Eavesdropping?" a female voice chided them from behind. "Isn't that a little beneath you both?"

Ukitake straightened, his face flushed red from embarrassment. Kyoraku merely smiled and replied lightheartedly, "Now Retsu, it may look like eavesdropping, but we're actually gathering intelligence."

"By snooping outside a prisoner's cell," she whispered her chastisement.

"Lieutenant Matsumoto is visiting the prisoner," Ukitake began but stopped when she cast a stare in his direction.

"She has sake," Kyoraku added as if it explained everything.

"I am sure you can find sake elsewhere," she turned towards the smiling captain, causing him to take an uneasy step back.

"Sake has a way of loosening one's tongue," Ukitake braved and then smiled lightly. "I believe we could gain a lot more information from our young prisoner in this setting than in front of the council."

She turned back to him, but her eyes softened somewhat.

"Now that makes a little more sense." Ukitake visibly relaxed. Captain Unohana moved a little closer to the door. "I suppose three captains bearing witness to this would be more convincing for the Captain Commander."

The two men looked over her head at each other, neither willing to argue the woman's logic.

* * *

"I had forgotten about my earlier life as a hollow until my recent battle with Murciélago for control of my soul," Ulquiorra began in a quiet voice. He paused long enough to take another fortifying sip of the sake and then placed the bottle back down on the floor. "To be hollow is to constantly know hunger, and that hunger is insatiable. No matter how many souls I consumed, it was never enough to ease the emptiness inside."

Matsumoto reached for the bottle of sake again and said, "Do you know how long you existed as a hollow?"

He leaned his head back against the bars to his cell and closed his eyes.

"Centuries most likely," he began and then added, "but time lost its meaning after a while. All that mattered was feeding that void within me. Yet after some time human souls were not enough anymore and I no longer ventured into the world of the living. My desire to feed was so strong that I turned on my fellow hollows to sustain me, transforming as I grew stronger, until finally I couldn't go any further on my own."

"Were you one of the Vasto Lordes that Aizen sought?" she asked as she placed the bottle back down by his side.

He opened his eyes and stared at the wall on the opposite side of his cell.

"Yes I was," he began as he drew his legs up and placed his arms across his knees, "It was an incredibly lonely existence. I lived in a void of sorts. All my senses were closed to me except my sight. After awhile I began to believe that if I couldn't see something, then it did not exist." He laid his forehead down against his arms and whispered, "Until she came along."

"Orihime?" Rangiku asked as she turned her body so that she could look at him.

Sensing her shift, he lifted his head and turned to meet her gaze. Nodding he said, "She believed in such ridiculous abstract things. Always believing in her friends, and content to die just knowing that they cared enough to come rescue her." He sighed and continued, "I tried to get her to see the truth as I saw it, but nothing I said could ever break her resolve." The warmth from the sake filled him and without realizing it his lips began to turn upwards forming the faint beginnings of a smile. "In the end it was I who was made to see the error in my thinking. She helped me to understand what I had forgotten when I became a hollow."

"She helped you regain your heart," Rangiku returned his slight smile with a huge one of her own.

"A hollow with a heart is quite the contradiction. Even if Kurosaki had not defeated me, I would have faded away," he replied truthfully as he turned back to face forward. "My soul was incompatible with that existence. I was in effect no longer hollow, yet I did not realize it until recently."

"So you are in love with her?" she teased as she reached out and poked him on the shoulder.

He turned his head and looked at her intently. He found that he no longer cared about guarding his tongue around her. The sake had lowered his usual inhibitions and he found himself longing to share everything with her.

"She is the reason that I exist," he replied.

Matsumoto let out a contented sigh and responded, "I don't know how, but you make her very happy." She laughed at her statement and then continued, "But more interesting is that when she is around you I see a glimpse of the woman she is becoming, instead of the girl that she has been for so long." She hiccupped, "You bring out a rather mature side of her."

His smile increased and he wondered if maybe he had imbued a little too much of the alcohol. Regardless Rangiku's statement pleased him, but then the reality of his situation came crashing down on him and he said, "I just wish to return to her. I do not care about the Soul Society or proving my strength. I only want to continue my life as a human and live it to the fullest with her by my side."

Rangiku laid a hand on his shoulder gently and said, "Ah the mundane life of a human. Dating in high school, maybe something more at university," she squeezed his shoulder at the implication and then mused further, "Of course there will be the task of finding a job, and then a place to share, marriage, kids…"

She continued on with her ponderings, but he was no longer listening. His eyes had grown rather heavy, and the lack of sleep from the past few days combined with fatigue from the recent fight with Zaraki had left him exhausted. In his mind he began to picture the life she was describing, and he found himself enjoying the idea greatly. With a smile still on his face, he closed his eyes and began to drift to sleep.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

What can I say - I am horrible with updating this story but it is always on my mind. One more chapter to go if things work as planned. I really do want to finish this so I will continue to trudge along until it is done.

**_Thanks to those who have reviewed and welcome to some of my new readers._ **

Please let me know what you all thought.


	32. Chapter 32

_I do not own Bleach or any of its characters_

* * *

**Chapter 32**

Once again Ulquiorra found himself making the long trek to the room that housed the Captain's Council. His head was still fuzzy from the previous evening's exploits with Lieutenant Matsumoto, and he was glad that he had not eaten anything recently because his stomach felt very queasy. It was not the best time to face the most powerful beings in the Seireitei, but then he wondered when was the best time to find out whether he would live or die.

The doors opened to the room and he squinted his eyes as the bright sun pulsed through his brain, exploding in even more painful waves of overstimulation. When he finally readjusted his vision he noticed that he was surrounded on either side by the captains with Yamamoto standing at his usual place at the front of the room.

He slowly made his way to where the Captain Commander waited. A few steps in and his eyes caught and held those of Captain Ukitake. The white haired man smiled kindly at him and nodded his head slightly in his direction. He wondered what was going on when he noticed Captain Kyoraku, standing beside Ukitake, staring at him as well. Only Kyoraku tipped the sakkat on his head, as he sent a mischievous smile at him.

Ulquiorra quickly averted his eyes and tried to focus once more on Yamamoto as he continued to walk slowly forward. He had only gone a few more paces when he noticed the female captain, Unohana, smiling as well. Her eyes reflected calmly back at him and he suddenly found himself relaxing a bit. Unlike the other two, she seemed a little more sensible. Still he couldn't shake the feeling that she and the other two captains were up to something. It was as if they had some information on him that he was unaware of.

He turned towards Yamamoto and continued on. No one else spoke. In fact none of the other captains even acknowledged him. Kuchiki seemed almost irritated that he had to be there. Hitsugaya looked bothered as well. Komamura, Tosen's friend if he remembered correctly, was impossible to read, but Ulquiorra could feel a tension coming from the Shinigami.

As he came close to Captain Zaraki, the tall man greeted him with a wide grin and bellowed, "Looking a little under the weather today, Espada."

Ulquiorra winced as the man's voiced boomed through his tender ears. He stopped for a moment as he tried to steady his head. This only caused Zaraki to laugh even louder. Without even looking at the man, Ulquiorra once more continued on, coming finally to the place where the Captain Commander stood patiently waiting for him. He stopped beside him, facing the old man, but also the captains that now stood at attention.

The man eyeballed him in silence for a moment and Ulquiorra felt an uncomfortable sense of unease creep back into his consciousness. Why was it that this man had the ability to make him feel like a small, wayward child caught doing something naughty? He was a powerful being in his own right. Yamamoto shouldn't intimidate him, yet he somehow managed to do just that.

"So child," the old man began, his voice almost as loud as Zaraki, "That was quite a show of force yesterday."

Ulquiorra was unsure if the man desired a response so he remained silent. His head was throbbing painfully, but he refused to show any more weakness to these Shinigami. His eyes held Yamamoto's as he refused to back down.

"It was quite evident that once you released that hollow, Captain Zaraki was clearly at a disadvantage," he said when it was obvious that Ulquiorra was not going to speak.

"You ended the fight too soon, old man," Zaraki blurted out as soon as the Captain Commander finished. "I could have taken him, and if not, at least it would have been fun trying."

Captain Kuchiki let out a weary sigh of disgust, "Once more your bloodthirsty nature has blinded you to the seriousness of this situation."

"Why does everything have to be so serious?" Zaraki shot back taunting the other man, "Power like that is rare…"

"He is a hollow," Komamura argued as he took a step forward. Turning to Yamamoto he continued, "His power is not something to be trifled with. It poses a serious threat."

"Ah come on Sajin-san," Captain Kyoraku spoke up, his tone light, "What did you expect the boy to do. Captain Zaraki would have killed him. It was a matter of self defense. Besides it was clear he was holding back, weren't ya kid?"

Ulquiorra turned his eyes to look at Kyoraku. The teasing in his voice did not mask the man's true nature. He was shrewd; Ulquiorra could sense that. The lackadaisical manner in which he presented himself was nothing more than a mere ploy to hide his true strength and intellect.

"I do not believe it would have proved beneficial to my plight to kill the captain," he replied evenly which caused the man to laugh.

"But I betcha wanted to kill him," he winked with a twinkle in his eye.

Ulquiorra stood straighter as he stared, assessing the man. Thinking carefully he replied, "I had no desire to do such a thing. My strength is far superior to his. Why should I have to kill him to prove it?"

"You are a rather arrogant little son of a bitch," Kurotsuchi interjected angrily.

"You, of all present here, know it is the truth," he remained calm, despite the pounding in his head, and the quick beating of his heart. "Otherwise why would you wish to study me?"

"The hollow that pretends to be human has the gall to question me," Kurotsuchi snarled, "It is not your strength that interests me boy…"

"I think what is of grater interest," Captain Unohana stopped the irate Shinigami midsentence. A serene smile lit her face as she continued, "Is that he possessed the control and discipline to not kill Captain Zaraki."

"I would think being surrounded by every captain in the Gotei Thirteen would have been incentive enough," was Kurotsuchi's snide reply.

Unohana continued to smile, but the quality changed minutely, causing the boisterous Head of Research and Development to step back a pace, an uneasy look in his eyes.

"I believe it goes beyond that," her gaze fell to Ulquiorra. "I wonder if maybe you didn't kill him because you truly have found your heart, and that has changed how you view Soul Society, and your own existence."

He sucked in a breath as his eyes opened wider. She was right – at least about how he viewed his life. Killing Zaraki wouldn't have made any difference to him either way. He had merely wished the fight to end, so that he could finish this charade of a hearing.

Now it seemed that honesty was all that was left to him. They knew his power, and it was well established what he had done while in Aizen's service. Who he was, in this moment, standing before them, may be the only defense he had left.

"As a hollow I had little respect for human life anymore," he began softly as he returned her stare, "I saw them merely as a means to an end." He broadened his gaze to look to the various captains in attendance. "But humans were weak, their spiritual power not enough to quench my desire. After a while they held no interest for me and I remained in Hueco Mundo, growing stronger from the reiatsu of my own kind." He noticed a few faces reflect displeasure at his words, but he continued on. "The Soul Society was nothing more than an arrogant nuisance. As a hollow, I understood what true power was, and Aizen was more than willing to perfect it in me and fellow hollows. "

He paused and turned his eyes to the Captain Commander. The old man was impossible to read, his stony expression, and closed eyes gave no clue as to whether he was displeased or waiting to hear more. Still he had to try. It would serve no purpose to stop now.

"I now see things differently," he exhaled, "My experience in the company of Inoue Orihime changed me, and because of her I now remember what it was like to be human. I have no desire to return to my former existence, and I do not wish to fight with the Soul Society."

"Then what do you desire," Yamamoto opened his eyes only a little and stared piercingly into Ulquiorra's.

Holding the man's gaze he replied honestly, "I desire to live amongst the humans."

"You have tasted immortality," Yamamoto said evenly. "You have existed for centuries, your power immense. To continue as a mortal, living within the small, fragile confines of a human body, does not bother you?"

He silently shook his head, his heart thumping loudly in his ears as he waited for what the old man would say next.

"You understand that you will eventually die," Yamamoto's voice rose. "Human bodies age and grow infirm. You will be in a sense condemning yourself to death if you return."

"I am aware of that," he replied raising his voice as well.

"Well this is interesting," Yamamoto gripped his staff tightly, but on his face a ghost of a smile could be seen, and then was gone. Turning to the other captains he said louder, "I believe the time has come to pass judgment on this child."

* * *

Orihime awoke to a feather soft kiss on her forehead. Fearing it to be some type of perverted intruder, she bolted upright quickly and swung with all her might at the attacker, connecting with something soft. A muffled curse was followed by a hand tightly clamping down across her mouth, as she was pulled hard against the intruder's body. She tried to let out a scream, only to find the hand grip her mouth tighter.

Warm air tickled her ear, and then a soft, deep voice whispered, "Do you wish to wake the entire apartment complex woman?"

"Ulquiorra?" she gasped her voice barely discernible.

The hand moved away from her mouth, but his other still held her firmly against his body. Wriggling free she turned and faced him.

"It is you!" she lunged forward without warning, knocking him backwards with the force of her embrace.

Once more he groaned as he slammed against the hard wood of the floor.

"Do you seek to do me serious harm?" he groaned as his hand moved to rub his head gingerly.

"Oh my, I'm sorry," she leaned back just enough to look at him. "I didn't expect it to be you."

"Do you have other men coming to your room in the middle of the night?" his voice lowered.

"No," she blushed furiously. "It's only that I thought you were in the Soul Society…" her voice rose again and she noticed him wince. "Oh gosh," she reached towards his head, "I really did hurt you didn't I?"

"No," he said as he grimaced again, "It is just that you are being extremely loud."

"Loud?"

"Yes, and it is rather painful," her face fell and noticing he continued, "The blame lies with Lieutenant Masumoto, not you."

"Rangiku-san?" she was now very confused.

"The woman appeared at my cell last night with a bottle of sake," he began, but she interrupted.

"You got drunk with Rangiku?" she sounded completely shocked.

"I had a little…"

"No one has a little sake with Rangiku-san," she blurted out, interrupting him again. He squinted his eyes as if in pain. "Oh right," she whispered, "Your head. Wait," she fought to keep the smile from her face, "Are you hung-over?"

"I believe that I may have overdone it a little," he replied as he pushed her back even further so that he could sit up.

This time she couldn't help but giggle.

"You find that humorous?"

"Well no," she began and then let out a loud snort as the laughter gripped her fiercely. Grabbing her side she said, "Okay so it is a little funny…no actually a lot funny…in fact if you wait there I'll get my phone and take a picture to remember this…"

His hands shot out and grabbed her shoulders once more, pinning her in place.

"You will do no such thing woman," he growled, "I would rather not have any reminders if you do not mind."

"Okay, no pictures," she relented. As she calmed down from her giggle fit reality began to drift into her sleep clouded thoughts. "Ulquiorra," she stated, "Rangiku is known for doing some pretty crazy stuff when she gets drunk."

"So I have heard."

"Well its just that you were imprisoned, and then you two were drinking, and now you're here in Karakura Town again…" she hesitated.

"What are you trying to say Orihime?" his voice slightly irritated.

"Did you two escape?" she blurted in a rush, "Because if you did, it's okay with me. I mean I don't mind going on the lam with you. In fact I'm real good at hiding out…"

His hold on her shoulders grew almost painful.

"I did not escape from Soul Society with Lieutenant Masumoto," his voice rising [slightly].

"Then how?" she started but stopped as she noticed the anger leave his eyes, as he looked down; his hands on her shoulders loosening their punishing grip.

"I received my sentence today," his eyes met hers again, but she could tell he was agitated.

"Your sentence?" she asked as she reached over to cover his hands in hers. Squeezing them encouragingly, she asked, "But you're here, so that's a good thing isn't it. Doesn't that mean they let you go?"

"Yes, that is true," he looked into her eyes and having regained his calm said slowly, "In a manner of speaking."

"What does that mean," she was confused by his dodging of the answer. "Either they let you go or they didn't."

He let out a sigh and looked away once more, "I have been exiled."

"Exiled?"

"To the world of the living," he began as his gaze once more met hers. He seemed to judge her reaction, unsure of what to expect. "I am to live out my life of mortality - as a human."

"Wait," her brows knit together. "You are a human. And I thought staying in Karakura Town was," her hands squeezed his tighter as she grew anxious herself. "You do want to…"

"Stay in the world of the living," he answered. She nodded and he continued his voice softer, gentler, "I desire nothing more…as long as it is with you."

Her eyes grew wide as the smile graced her lips once more.

"With me?" she squeaked too happy to speak.

"If you will have me," he said as he drew closer, his eyes never leaving hers, "But it is inevitable that this body will grow older, possibly infirm, and eventually I will die. Does that bother you?"

"Ulquiorra," she raised her hand and cupped his cheek tenderly, "This is a natural part of life."

"It does not frighten you?" and she heard the apprehension in his voice that he was trying so hard to hide from her.

Leaning forward she kissed his lips softly and then pulled back just enough to speak, her breath hot against his mouth, "I look forward to every moment on that journey." Her lips touched his with another feather light kiss, and then she pulled back again, "Of course you have to promise not to become one of those crotchety old men that yell at the children in the park when they cover the sidewalk with chalk pictures…or chase the pigeons with your cane when I try to feed them breadcrumbs…or complain about the way the teenagers dress…"

He cut her off as his lips covered hers, his tongue exploring her already open mouth, tasting her completely. Every thought in her head fled as she reveled in the feel of his tongue mating with her own. His arms moved from her shoulders to wrap around her back and he continued to kiss her.

Coming up for air he smiled against her mouth, "Even with an entire lifetime, I do not believe I will understand the way your mind works."

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see about that," she placed a light kiss on his lips, "Since we now have our entire lives to find out."

His eyes softened as his gaze penetrated her own deeply. Still rubbing her back with his hands he breathed, "You are certain that this is what you desire?"

"Do you even have to ask?" she teased lightly.

"What if I disappoint you?"

"I'm sure you will at some point," she laughed as his eyes grew wide, "But then again I am positive that I will do the same to you as well." She ran her hands gently across his chest. "Life is messy Ulquiorra. That's what makes it fun – and interesting."

"So you do not desire perfection?"

"I desire you," and then her face burned red as she realized how her words must sound, "I mean I desire to be with you…no wait I mean that I don't care if it isn't perfect as long as it's with you…"

He pulled her into a crushing embrace. When he spoke again his voice was hoarse and she was amazed to realize the powerful emotions he was fighting to contain, "I thought for sure that they were going to imprison me for life, or have me executed." His hands dug into her sides as he held her even tighter, "It seemed unfair that I had finally found my heart, only to have Soul Society take it away again."

"But they let you go," she smiled as her hands moved to his hair. She traced slow, soothing circles through his black locks. "Hueco Mundo, The Winter War, and Aizen – they're all behind us now. We can live free from the fear of reprisal. You now have a second chance at life."

"I love you Orihime," he whispered against her ear. "I always will."

She understood the gravity of those words. Ulquiorra was not one to toss his feelings about so lightly. He felt things deeply, his words held truth and sincerity. That fact endeared him more to her than anything else could. And her reply was equally as honest, "My heart belongs to you," she replied just as softly, "For now and forever."

* * *

Lieutenants Masumoto and Abarai sat atop the roof of Orihime's apartment. Having escorted Ulquiorra back to the World of the Living, they had been instructed to remain in Karakura for a few days, just to make sure the former prisoner remained out of trouble. Rangiku didn't mind in the least. She knew that the Espada would pose no threat, and she planned to take advantage of the free time that would create by catching up on her shopping.

Still Ulquiorra's return had thrown one wrench in her plans. Sighing she complained, "It would seem that I no longer have a place to stay while I'm here."

"I don't see why you're so hesitant to barge in there and take over," Renji remarked sarcastically. "It's not like you to worry about impressions."

She turned her glare his way and replied, "You obviously do not understand the delicacy of the situation."

"He shouldn't be there anyways," Renji ignored her glare, instead stared out into the night sky.

She chuckled softly and teased, "When did you become such a prude?"

"I'm not being a prude," was his indignant reply. "What I don't get," he turned his eyes to hers, "Is that you have no problem with her taking up with that hollow."

"He is not a hollow."

"That hollow still resides within his zanpakuto," Renji reminded her, "Placing a limiter on him will not change that. It's no better than placing a band aide on a mortal wound."

"Oh please," she rolled her eyes in exasperation, "You're being a little extreme. Besides he has control over it, and the Captain Commander would not have let him go if he felt he was a threat."

"Yet he sent us to watch him," Renji stated. "And most likely will keeps tabs on him for the rest of his life."

"So he's being cautious," she pouted.

"The situation is dangerous."

"He loves her," Rangiku reiterated, "I don't think he will jeopardize that by giving into his darker side."

"I can only hope you are right," he stared back out into the early morning sky.

The sun had just begun to paint the sky with beautiful shades of pink and purple. Rangiku stared out at it as well and recalled her conversation with Ulquiorra the previous evening – or at least what she could remember. The honesty in his words caused her to feel absolutely confident that he would always keep Orihime's best interests at heart. Renji may have doubts, but given time she believed he would come around as well.

A smile graced her lips as she took solace in the fact that some good had come out of this struggle with Aizen. They had all lost so much – some more than others. And if Ulquiorra could find redemption, then maybe, just maybe, it would be possible that others could too.

Her eyes scanned the streets below, as the sunlight began to bring the city to life. She was resilient as well as patient. She would wait, a new hope blossoming in her chest. Orihime had believed in Ulquiorra, a man who had once been her enemy, and her belief in him had done miraculous things. Could not the same be true in her case?

Soul Society had never found Gin, but she knew in her heart he was still alive. Someday he would come back to her, and she would find the answers she so desperately needed from him. But for now she would be content with life as it was, knowing that her young friend had found happiness.

She would leave Orihime alone today, but she fully intended to monopolize the girl's time over the next week. After all the teen had the rest of her life to spend with Ulquiorra, a little time with her would not be an inconvenience.

* * *

Ulquiorra stood outside the room to the Handicrafts Club waiting for Orihime to finish. Today was the first day in a week that he would be able to spend some time with her without the constant threat of interference from either Lieutenants Masumoto or Abarai. Admittedly the red haired Shinigami pretty much kept to himself, but Masumoto insisted on taking Orihime on shopping trips or out to eat, adamant that he tag along, mainly to pay for the meal, he soon realized. Still with Abarai at Urahara's and Masumoto staying at Orihime's, he found himself growing increasingly frustrated. Now finally they had returned to Soul Society, and at least for now he could enjoy some time with Orihime completely alone.

He was amazed at how quickly life had returned to its normal and routine pace. Keigo had rebounded from the hollow attacked that had set off his whole fight with his hollow and subsequent trial in the Soul Society. The hyperactive teen was just as annoying as usual, but for some reason Ulquiorra found that his antics did not bother him as much as they had before.

Even Arisawa, who still held him in suspicion, had relented, backing away from her usual protective air when it came to Orihime. Though she had cornered him when he had first returned, lecturing him on human relationships, and insisting that if he tried anything too forward with her friend, she would make him a eunuch. He was not worried about her threats, but he still couldn't help but guard his crotch whenever she was around. He still remembered painfully the kick to the groin that she had gotten in during their fight a few months back, and he was not in the mood to relive that pain anytime soon.

As for Ichigo, Chad, and Uryu – the three males had remained rather silent since his return. It would seem that they had come to some sort of unspoken agreement about his presence in the World of the Living. It would seem that Soul Society's verdict had brought some sense of closure. The Winter War was behind them, and more importantly what had happened on top of the Dome of Las Noches could be finally laid to rest.

It almost seemed too good to be true, and the only thing that still left him unsettled was Murciélago. The hollow aspect of his soul had remained quiet since his return. He doubted it was due to the limiter Soul Society had forced upon him. The hollow, he feared may be just biding its time.

Renji had been the one to suggest he spend time in jinzen, the Shinigami method of communication with the spirits within their Zanapkutos. The lieutenant believed that maybe it would work with his hollow, since the creature now resided only within his blade. Ulquiorra decided it was worth a try. Working together with Murciélago would make more sense than the constant struggle to subdue him. And since Soul Society had not forbidden him from engaging hollows in battle, if completely necessary, he knew he would need to be in a sense of harmony with his Zanpakuto if he was to be successful in protecting those he cared about.

As he stared into the classroom Orihime looked up, sensing his presence, and smiled. Waving enthusiastically she called him over. Casually, hands in his pockets, backpack slung over his shoulder, he approached her. Nodding in acknowledgement to Ishida, he then turned to her and asked, "Are you ready to go?"

She gathered up her things and smiled, "Sure I am," and then turning to Uryu asked, "Would you like to walk with us Ishida-kun?"

The teen looked up at him and then smiling politely at Orihime replied, "You two go on ahead. I have other things to do before I leave."

"Alright then," she replied cheerfully as she turned to head towards the door. Once in the hallway she looped her free hand around Ulquiorra's arm and gently laid it upon his arm right above his elbow. "So where would you like to go?"

"Wherever you wish if fine with me," he replied as they walked towards the entrance of the school. Stopping at their lockers they swapped out their shoes and then left for the day.

"We could go to the arcade," she tried, "or maybe karaoke?"

He understood that she was teasing. Her easy going nature had relaxed even more since his return, and he found he enjoyed her games, much more than he had before. In fact he had a completely renewed appreciation for life since he had been given this second chance.

"We could swing in the park," he replied, his own tone light.

"Oh it's much too cold for that," she grew serious. Thinking for a moment she blurted excitedly, "You know what would be really nice? We could go to my place, share the kotatsu, and play some board games."

Board games held no appeal to him, but the close confines, under the blanket of the kotatsu, did stir something within him.

"Arisawa is away at a tournament?" he asked.

"All weekend," she replied sweetly, "Why do you ask?"

"No particular reason," his body relaxed and he thought of just how enjoyable the evening would be without the threat of bodily harm from Tatsuki. "I believe board games would be fine."

"Good then," she squeezed his arm tighter. "My place it is."

They continued on, she talking animatedly about her day, he responding when appropriate. It amazed him that this quiet exchange could appeal to him so much. Still as he thought back over his existence in Hueco Mundo, this had been what he had truly been longing for all the while. Acceptance, pure and simple, as he had found it in her, was what his heart had so desired. Now it was his, and not just from her, but from all her friends. No, not just her friends, but his as well.

A small smile graced his lips and he turned slightly, and leaning over kissed the top of her head with tenderness.

She stopped and looked up at him, "What was that for?"

"I don't know," he replied as he looked into her eyes, "I guess it was just a thank you."

"A thank you?" she was obviously confused.

"For believing in me," he reflected, "And seeing in me what even I failed to recognize."

She stood on her toes, her hand still light on his arm, and kissed his cheek softly. She stepped back and repositioned her backpack. Words were not necessary; her eyes conveyed it all.

Her step was lighter though, and he knew she was happy.

_He made her happy. _

Warmth spread through him at that realization. Her happiness gave birth to his own, and he realized he would spend the rest of his life seeing that that smile remained on her face.

He now lived for her and her desires. And in that, he found his own fulfilled.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Dramatic drum roll ~ It is finally complete.

It only took me two and a half years! But I am glad to finally be done. I want to thank those who encouraged me over the course of this story, and pushed me to not give up on it. Also a big thanks to all who reviewed. I loved reading all your comments.

Special thanks to **lilarin**, my beta for Changeling, who helped me through this final edit and also encouraged me to finish.

Also ***kzira** created a beautiful fan art inspired by this story. The link is .com/art/Who-I-Am-286287121 - I felt a renewed sense to finish after that. Thanks for the inspiration.

Once more I appreciate all the response. Please let me know what you thought of the ending.


End file.
